The SweetieMash Chronicles
by Justice4243
Summary: The Cutie Mark Crusaders decide they need to expand their numbers, but things quickly go awry when their first target begins sobbing on the spot. Sweetie Belle soon finds herself roped into hanging out with the young colt. Can Sweetie Belle see past the young colts weirdness and allow friendship to bloom? Can Button Mash fake enough normal behavior to make at least one friend? W
1. Chapter 1

The SweetieMash Cronicles

Chapter 1: Bad First Impressions

-ooooo-

Sweetie Belle sat in the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse next to Scootaloo as the two quietly watched Apple Bloom's one pony, one chart presentation. The sun shone brightly into the clubhouse, with the sounds of birds chirping adding to the ambiance of the calm, warm, Ponyville day.

Apple Bloom continued to smile optimistically as she pointed to the line chart behind her. A simple green line over a grid that spiked to a plateau and remained completely horizontal traveling across the X axis.

"So, as ya'll can _plainly_ see, The Cutie Mark Crusaders continue to enjoy steady membership numbers since its establishment some months back!" Apple Bloom said, tracing her forehoof along the green line.

Sweetie Belle smiled and clapped her hooves together excitedly.

Scootaloo stared at the graph with a bored expression. "That just means we haven't got any new members, Apple Bloom."

"We'll we haven't lost none, neither!" Apple Bloom countered.

"I don't think you're going to get your cutie mark in chart making over this." Scootaloo continued.

"_**I**_ liked it!" Sweetie Belle stressed. "It was upbeat! Had a positive message, you know?"

Scootaloo raised her eyelid a bit. "It was a chart, Sweetie Belle, not a bedtime story."

"Yeah…but it goes up!" Sweetie Belle insisted, motioning towards the ceiling with her forearms.

Apple Bloom sighed. "It's alright, Sweetie Belle, it was a long shot…anyhow who wants a dumb cutie mark in chart makin', anyhow?"

"Well…it _would_ be a tad on the geeky side." Sweetie Belle admitted.

"Yeah, talk about nerd city!" Scootaloo agreed.

"Hey, everypony!" Sweetie Belle looked over the chart. "This gives me an idea!"

Scootaloo gave the chart another look over, "Cutie Mark Crusaders trash burners?" She suggested motioning out to the rather unexciting looking line on large graph paper.

"Hey!" Apple Bloom protested.

"Nooo," Sweetie Bell replied, "we should try to expand our numbers!" She suggested. "We can maybe get our cutie marks in recruitment, or cutie marks in getting other ponies _their_ cutie marks!"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo pondered this.

"That's a _great_ idea!" Apple Bloom said. "We'd increase club attendance _and _maybe get guidance counselor cutie marks!"

"Yeah," Scootaloo agreed, smiling excitedly, "and I bet a recruitment cutie mark would look pretty cool!"

"Cutie Mark Crusaders recruiters, Yay!" The three cheered, all raising a forehoof into the air and slapping them against each other's.

The three Cutie Mark Crusaders peered out of a bush, spying a young, brown colt with fiery brown hair, his flanks noticeably blank. A red, yellow, and orange beanie with a green propeller that spun continuously adorned his head. He sat against a tree with his eyes transfixed on a small device in front of him, staring widely and unblinkingly as he stuck his tongue out from the side of his mouth, constantly shifting his hooves to tap buttons on the small, green device which beeped in response. A pair of brown saddlebags with black crosses, with grey circles in the center, and grey arrows pointing out at the end of each line adorning the center sat next to him.

"Alright, well, how 'bout him?" Apple Bloom suggested. "He don't got his cutie mark yet."

"Uh…I don't know…what's up with that weird hat?" Scootaloo asked. She quickly glanced around at the trees around them. "And how is that thing spinning? It's not even windy out…"

"I _like_ the hat!" Sweetie Belle stated.

"_**Really?**_" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo asked in unison.

"Well…it's uh…unique…" Sweetie Bell suggested.

_Okay, well…admittedly I only kinda like it because Rarity saw it and declared it a fashion disaster…_

_Man, my sister can be such the fussy pants sometimes…_

_Geez, it's like any pony wears the wrong color in the wrong season and its cause to abduct them and start accessorizing them like they were her own personal models…_

…_Why am I moving?_

Sweetie Belle looked down and realized she was being pushed closer and closer to the colt.

"Wait? What are you two doing?" Sweetie Belle asked as her two friends continued to push her along the ground.

"You kinda spaced out there for a sec," Scootaloo explained. "So Apple Bloom and I decided you should talk to him first, since you like his hat and all…"

Sweetie Belle began to struggle vainly against her friends. "Wait! But he's got this _really_ weird look on his face! Maybe we shouldn't…"

"This was your idea, Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom reminded her. "We'll be _right_ behind ya."

"Oh well, okay…"

"In that bush…" Apple Bloom continued. "Where no pony can see us!"

Scootaloo giggled.

"Oh, _come on_! That's not fair!" Sweetie Belle protested.

"Don't worry!" Scootaloo called as she and Apple Bloom raced back to the bush. "We'll be your backup ponies."

"Oh…I _guess_ that makes sense…" Sweetie Belle mused. She turned to the brown colt who continued to stare wide eyed at his device, oblivious to the world around him.

"Uh…_hey_…there…_you_…" Sweetie Belle offered tentatively. "WE uh…we uh well you see…we're recruiting for our club and…thought…_maybe_…"

"Huh?" The brown colt looked up briefly as his device began to angrily beep at him. His eyes went wide has he refocused his attention on it.

"No. No! _**NOOOOOOOO**_!" He cried. "That was my last li_i_i_i_i_i_fe! Now I have to start ALL OVER! WHY IS LIFE SO UNFAIR TO ME?!" He moaned, followed shortly by tortured sobbing. "_Auunhwuahwuahwuaaaa_…"

"Huh?" Sweetie Belle asked, confused as to what had just exactly transpired.

_Whoa…this guys is more of a drama queen than my sister…_

"Nice going, Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo called from the bush.

"But I didn't DO anything!" Sweetie Belle answered shrilly in response.

"Sweetie Belle! Do ya need to make the poor guy cry as soon as ya talk to him!?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Button!" A maternal voice called out. "Are these three fillies bullying you?!"

Sweetie Belle turned and a panicked expression took over her features as a light tan colored mare with a long, brown mane tied up in a ponytail focused blue eyes full of daggers at her. The mare wore a simple pair of brown saddlebags.

"IT'S EVERY PONY FOR HERSELF!" Scootaloo screamed, as she fled from the bush.

"But…" Apple Bloom began, quickly darting her eyes from Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and finally the angry looking mare. "Sorry, Sweetie Belle!" She shouted as she ran off in pursuit of Scootaloo.

"I SEE NO PONY IS GETTING THEIR CUTIE MARK IN _BRAVERY_, TODAY!" She shrieked after her friends.

"What exactly is going on here, young lady?" The mare growled out.

Sweetie Belle's ear's flopped down as she looked up into the angry, accusing eyes of the mare and gulped. "I didn't…I mean…I just wanted…"

"Mo_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_o_m!" The colt wailed, pointing at Sweetie Belle. "She made me lose my last li_i_i_i_i_i_fe!" He added as if the filly had introduced a major tragedy into his life.

"But…but, I just wanted to make friends!" Sweetie Belle insisted.

To Sweetie Belle's great relief, the mare's expression softened as she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Button, that's _nothing_ to cry about." The mare said in a soothing tone.

"But…_but_…the space ponies of Glurf'zord 4 are now _heroless_ with the unrelenting space cruisers of the evil General Korft'igarden making their great assault!" Button protested.

"Button, you can play Space Defender 2, later."

Button sighed. "Yes, mom…"

The mare smiled at Sweetie Belle. "And what is your name?"

"Uhh…I'm Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie Belle looked as the mare seemed to nod with satisfaction.

_Huh…she's kinda looking at me the same way Rarity does when she's just made a dress she's really proud of._

"Button, darling? Why don't you stop making a scene and introduce yourself to the nice filly?"

"_Sniff_…okay…"Button said softly, closing a lid over his wailing. "My name is Button Mash."

"Uh hi… I'm Sweetie Belle, oh…but…uh…" Sweetie Belle glanced away for a second. "I guess I said that already." Sweetie Belle turned back to Button. "I uh…really like your hat…" she offered.

"REALLY?!" Button asked as his face lit up. "Cool! 'Cause I think it looks sooo _cooool_, but every other pony gives it this weird look and always asks how it's spinning even when there's no wind! And then they ask _me_ like I would know, but how the _hay _would I…"

"Button!" Button's mother said forcefully. "Language!" She reminded.

"Ooops, sorry…" Button sighed and trotted over to his saddlebags sadly, he stuck his head into one and emerged with a bit in his mouth. "Swoory mom…" Button muttered, presenting the bit to his mom.

Sweetie Belle shot button's mom a quick glance.

Button's mom chuckled. "Swear jar." She informed. She looked back at Button. "Keep it."

Button's face lit up. "_Rweally_?!"

Button's mom nodded, "In fact, why don't you fish a few bits out of my bags and you two can grab a couple milkshakes." She suggested.

Button's face lit up. "Yay! Milkshakes!"

Sweetie Belle smiled as well.

"Wait…" Button uttered looking over Sweetie Belle suspiciously.

He looked at his mom and began to speak in a low, guttural language. "Mother, she is unwise to our ways. I'm not sure it's a good idea to associate with her ilk."

Button's mother rolled her eyes. "Then teach her, I'm sure if you share your games, she'll enjoy herself."

Sweetie Belle looked between the two with a confused expression as Button continued to shoot her a peculiar look.

"No! She's _too old_ to begin the training!" Button insisted.

"Look, either you go out for milkshakes with that nice, young filly, or I'm compensating your Joy Boy _and_ Happy Gear for a month."

Button stepped up to his mother and placed a very serious looking face inches from hers. "You wouldn't…"

Button's mother grinned wickedly. "Try _me_." She purred.

Button looked over Sweetie Belle almost as if he was seeing her for the first time. "Yay! Milkshakes!" He exclaimed. He quickly trotted over to his mother's saddlebags and stuck his head in, and pulled it out with a mouthful of bits.

"Thwanks Mom!" He uttered.

"You're welcome, sweetie," His mother answered.

The bits in Buttons mouth began to glow with a faint, blue aura and levitated into Button's saddlebags.

Sweetie Belle smiled sweetly.

"Thank you, Sweetie Belle," Button's mom said. "That was very thoughtful."

"Yeah thanks, Sweetie Belle," Button said.

"Well, I'll let you two get to it." Button's mom stated. "Don't stay out too late, Button, dear!"

"I won't! Bye, mom!"

"Bye…uh…Ms. Button's mom…" Sweetie Belle offered.

_Well, he's a bit weird, but hey…FREE MILKSHAKE!_

*-o-

"So…" Sweetie Belle began, breaking the awkward silence between the two as they trotted down the road, "I notice you don't have your cutie mark, yet."

"Huh?" Button responded. "Oh that…I don't really care about that." He admitted.

"WHAT?!" Sweetie Belle shrieked. "How can you not care about your cutie mark?!"

"There's just more important things, is all." Button argued.

"WHAT COULD _POSSIBLY_ BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR CUTIE MARK?!"

Button smiled. "There are entire _worlds_ that need saving! The downtrodden ponies of the Klefka colonies cry out for a hero!" He declared dramatically, looking up towards the sky with a forehoof in the air. "The peace loving ponies of the Hirulian plains need protection! And ponies cry out for relief and justice from the unrelenting criminals of Haythom!" He glanced back at Sweetie Belle. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Sweetie Belle gave him a nonplussed expression. "You're talking about your dumb games, aren't you?"

"They're not dumb!" Button insisted, a bit taken aback. "Here!" He sat down and took off his saddlebag, and fished out the rounded, rectangular, green device with his mouth, presenting it to Sweetie Belle.

With a blue glow, the device floated into Sweetie Belle's forehooves as she sat on her haunches. "Fine…I'll try it…" she said in a somewhat irritated voice.

_Whatever, just a few minutes of this stupid thing and I'll hand it back to him…_

*But then…*

"Hey! This is pretty fun." Sweetie Belle mused.

"I tooooold youuuuu!" Button Mash sung out.

The device beeped angrily at Sweetie Belle. "Aww, I died."

"Oh, it's okay. You have lots more lives. Hey! Let's keep walking while you play." Button suggested. "I'd do it all the time, if I had magic."

"Well… okay!" Sweetie said nodding.

*…and then…*

"PRESS THE ATTACK BUTTON FASTER!" Button cried. "Now slower… FASTER! DODGE THE MISSILES! JUMP THE _LAZERERERERER~_!"

"I'M TRYING!" Sweetie Belle retorted as she fixed her eyes on the device floating in front of her with a light green aura around it.

Sweetie Belle and Button continued to trot at a steady pace.

"You're getting pretty good!" Button mused.

Sweetie Belle glanced at the colt and smiled. "Thanks, I'm really enjoy…" She stopped as the device beeped angrily at her again.

"Oops…sorry…" Button offered.

Sweetie Belle looked back at the device, a determined look on her face. "Wait, one more try!" She insisted.

"Sure, Sweetie Belle," Button responded. "But we're almost…"

"WHA!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed as she tripped on a step and face planted into another.

"…there." Button finished.

Sweetie Belle sat up her face red, partially from the impact and partially from embarrassment.

_I hope nopony saw that…_

"You okay?" Button asked.

"Uh…fine!" Sweetie Belle insisted. "Let's just get those milkshakes, okay?"

Button nodded. "Sure!" He replied with a smile.

The two entered the milkshake parlor and walked up to the counter towards a white stallion behind the counter.

"What'll it be?" The stallion asked.

Button sat his saddlebags down, stuck his head into one, and fished out a few bits with his mouth, placing them on the counter.

"One chocolate milkshake, please!" He said happily.

"And a vanilla one!" Sweetie Belle added.

"Coming _right_ up!" The stallion responded as he collected the bits.

"Vanilla?" Button Mash asked.

"And what is wrong with vanilla?!" Sweetie Belle demanded.

"Uh…nothing…it's just so _plain_…"

"Oh!" Sweetie Belle replied, with an irritated tone. "What makes you say that?"

"Uh…well…I mean…there's no color there…it's just white, for starters." Button argued,

Sweetie Belle's face contorted into a look of genuine anger. "Are you saying there's something wrong with being white?!" She asked, her voice getting increasingly shriller.

"Uh…no…"

Sweetie Belle began to walk forward, closing the short distance between her and Button. "So, what ARE you saying?"

Button began to scotch back, away from the angry filly who continued to approach him.

Sweetie Belle, in turn, continued to walk forward.

"It's just…erm…umm…" Button began to look worried.

_Alright, what's that thing mom always says to do when you've made a girl mad at you?!_

"_Ooof_…" Button uttered as he backed into the wall.

_Oh, right…_

"Hey, Sweetie Belle…I uh…really like your mane."

Sweetie Belle paused and her expression softened. "You do?"

"Yeah!" Button replied. "It's this cool pink and purple color you know? It goes really well with your white fur."

Sweetie Belle's face lit up. "It does?!"

Button nodded. "Totally."

Sweetie Belle beamed. "Thank you…" She squeaked out. "Uh, hey…don't worry about the milkshake thing, alright?"

Button shrugged. "Sure! No problem."

The two quickly found an empty table and sat at it.

The white stallion motioned to the two and the smiled back at him in anticipation.

"Order up!" He shouted, expertly tossing the milk shakes in front of the young ponies.

Sweetie Belle smiled to herself.

_Maybe I was wrong about Button!_

_He's not so weird._

_And he's actually kinda co…_

Button quickly turned to Sweetie Belle with a large smile on his face. "MILKSHAKE RACE! 1, 2, 3, GO!"

Sweetie Belle looked at button with equal parts confusion and concern.

'_Sluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrp_!'

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! _AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_" Button Mash screamed as he held his forehooves to his brain frozen head. He promptly fell over in pain.

'Thud!'

Button continued his creaming on the floor, as it gave away to tortured sobs of anguish. "**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** _**AAAAAAAAAHUAHUA!"**_

Sweetie Belle's expression of concern gave way to annoyance as she reached for her milkshake and slowly began sipping it.

_Never mind… _

***-ooooo-

Sweetie Belle slowly trotted up the ramp to the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse as Celestia lowered the sun in the horizon, the last bits of sunlight slowly fading from the face of Equestria.

"Okay…" She heard Scootaloo call out excitedly. "So, while you're fighting the armed guards. Sweetie Belle floats me over the spike pit with her magic, so I can hit the switch on the other side, closing the trap door back up, and…"

"How many times do ah have to tell you?!" Apple Bloom interrupted. "If Sweetie Belle were _with_ us, we wouldn't **need** to rescue her!"

"Ooooh, _right_! I keep forgetting that part!" Scootaloo replied.

"Uh, hey guys…" Sweetie Belle said as she emerged from outside.

"Sweetie Belle!" The other two crusaders exclaimed.

"You're just in time to help us rescue you!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

Apple Bloom smacked a forehoof against her face. "Scootaloo, do ya ever _think_ about the things ya say before ya say them?"

"Hey! Fortune favors the bold!" Scootaloo countered.

"That's _not_ what that…" Apple Bloom sighed and looked up at Sweetie Belle. "Hey! We felt so bad about leaving you back there that we were gonna launch a rescue mission!"

"Yeah! And get awesome rescue pony cutie marks!" Scootaloo added.

Apple Bloom grinned nervously as she elbowed the orange pegasus in the ribs.

"Oh, but we weren't supposed to mention that part…" Scotaloo added.

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.

Sweetie Belle gave her two friends a small smile. "Uh, thanks…" She offered.

"So, you escaped!" Scootaloo observed as she began to trot around her friend in a circle.

"Uh…" Sweetie Belle replied.

"Were you tortured?" Apple Bloom asked, joining Scootaloo in her loops around Sweetie Belle.

"Erm…"

"Yeah, yeah! I bit that mean ol' lady strapped you down and tickled you with a feather until you cried 'uncle'!" Scootaloo suggested.

"She was pretty nice, actually." Sweetie Belle admitted.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exchanged glances.

"Ah was afraid this might happen." Apple Bloom uttered.

Scootaloo nodded in agreement. "Stockholm syndrome!" She declared. "I heard fillynapped ponies get it if they're held too long…"

"What?" Sweetie Belle protested. "I don't have Stockholm syndrome!"

"That's _exactly_ what someone with Stockholm syndrome would say!" Apple Bloom countered.

"She could be brainwashed…" Scootaloo suggested.

"I'M NOT BRAINWASHED!" Sweetie Belle shrieked.

"Don't worry, Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom replied. "We know what to do!"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other and nodded. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER MIND DE-PROGRAMMERS, YAY!"

"Girls, I'm not…_WHOA_!"

Without warning Apple Bloom and Scootaloo pounced, tackling Sweetie Belle to the ground.

"Wait…deprogrammers?" Apple Bloom said. "She's not a robot."

"She _could_ be!" Scootaloo countered.

"Girls! I'm not a robot! That's ridiculous!"

"How can we be sure?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yeah? Hey! Say 'Cutie Mark Acquisition Program'." Scootaloo commanded.

"Why the heck would I say something like that?!"

"You would if you were a robot!" Scootaloo argued.

Apple Bloom nodded in agreement

"Oh, well then…I'm not saying it." Sweetie Belle replied.

The other two fillies exchanged glances.

"Uh…Ah guess that means she's not a robot, then…" Apple Bloom said.

"Guess not…" Scootaloo said.

"Get offa me!" Sweetie Belle shrieked as she pushed her two friends off of her. "Look! When I said I just wanted to be Button Mash's friend, his mom gave him a bunch of bits and told him to take me out for a milkshake." She explained.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo paused and exchanged glances, they quickly retreated to the other end of the clubhouse and began to speak in hushed tones.

"She knows his name…" Scootaloo said.

"And, he bought her a milkshake," Apple Bloom added.

"So…a date?" Scootaloo asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Totally!" Apple Bloom replied.

"Why are you two whispering over there?"

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom turned around, giant grins plastered on their faces. They began to sing in unison. "_Sweetie Belle and Button Mash sittin' in a tree._"

"WHAT?! NO! It wasn't like that!" Sweetie Belle insisted.

"_K-I-S-S-I-N-G!_"

"Stop it! I'll bite!" Sweetie Belle threatened, her face starting to flush red.

"_First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes to foal in the…_"

"GRAAAAAH!" Sweetie Belle launched herself at the other crusaders.

"GHak! Wait, Sweetie Belle! We were only jokin'…OW!" Apple Bloom exclaimed as Sweetie Belle swatted at her with a forehoof.

"Yeah, it's totally cool you were getting _mad_ smooches on with this colt, and OWCH! STOP BITING MY WING!"

***-ooooo-

"_Mooooom_, I'm _hoooome_!" Button Mash called out as he opened the door.

Button's mom poked her head into the hallway. "Welcome back, dear. Did you have fun with Sweetie Belle?"

Button's face lit up. "I did! First I showed her my Joy Boy, then we had milkshakes, and I got this wicked bad brain freeze, but then she played my Joy Boy some more, and she's getting really good at it!"

Button's mom smiled warmly. "Good, I'm _really_ glad you made a new friend."

"Yeah, me too!" Button said, nodding his head up and down. "I can't wait to show her more of my games."

"I think that's a _really_ good idea!" Button's mother replied. "In fact, how about you invite her over for dinner tomorrow?"

Button gasped loudly. "Can I mom!? Can I, can I?!"

Button's mom giggled. "Of course, dear! I suggested it. Why don't you ask Swettie Belle tomorrow and I'll go clear it with her parents."

"YAY!" Button Mash exclaimed. "Oh boy! I'm going to go pick out some games we can play right now."

Button's mother smiled as her son bolted for his room. Followed by a cringe at the sound of a crash.

"I'm okay!" Button assured from down the hall.

Button's mom smiled to herself again and returned to the kitchen.

_Finally…I was beginning to worry he'd __**never**__ make any friends…_


	2. Chapter 2

The SweetieMash Chronicles

Chapter 2: Rejection

-ooooo-

Sweetie Belle gave an exasperated sigh as she trudged out of the schoolhouse.

"So Sweetie Belle…" Scootaloo called out. "Hey! Sweetie Belle!"

Sweetie Belle continued to march away from the school, attempting to ignore her friend.

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said, attempting to interrupt. "You've teased her enough!" She insisted.

"Sweetie Belle! Sweetie Belle! _Sweetie Belle! Sweeeeetieee Belllllle~_!"

"WHAT?!" Sweetie Belle shrieked, turning to face her friend with an angry expression plastered on her face.

Scootaloo grinned wide. "Are you going to see Button Mash today? Huh? Are ya? _Are ya?_"

"NO!" Sweetie Belle responded in a piercing tone.

"Are you _suuuuuuuure~_?" Scootaloo cooed.

"Scootaloo, ya've been joshing her all day!" Apple Bloom protested. "Ease up!"

"What?" Scootaloo responded playfully. "I just want to know if she's going to go get her _mad_ smooches on with Button Mash!" She added with a huge grin.

"I'M **NOT** GOING TO SMOOCH BUTTON MASH!"

"Okay, okay, _geez_…" Scootaloo replied, holding her forehoves up defensively in front of her. "I was just messin'."

"But ya've been messin' with her since this mornin'!" Apple Bloom countered.

"Yeah, well…" Scootaloo paused briefly. "… She's fun to tease!" She declared.

Sweetie Belle began to growl in frustration.

"Scootalooooo…" Apple Bloom began in a warning tone.

"I'm _mean_, I don't _really_ care if she wants to be all like…" Scootaloo stared up towards the sky and placed a forehoof to her forehead. "… Oh, Button Mash!" She said dramatically. "I love your dorky hat! Kiss me! _Kiss me you fool_!" Scootaloo wrapped her arms around open air and began smacking her lips together "_Mwah_! _Mwah_!"

"**I AM NOT GOING TO KISS HIM! I DON'T EVEN **_**LIKE**_** HIM!**" Sweetie Belle screeched. She began to huff and puff, her face red, her eyes focused to lasers pointing at Scootaloo.

"Uh…sorry…" Scootaloo offered meekly.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle!"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo winced as the sound of an excited colt calling for Sweetie Belle rang out. The two turned, facing Button Mash as Sweetie Belle focused her rageful expression on him.

Button trotted up to the trio of fillies.

"Hi, Sweetie Belle!" Button Mash said cheerfully as he closed the distance between himself and the white unicorn.

Sweetie Belle growled out in response.

"Hey!" Button continued, oblivious to Sweetie's body language. "Mom says we can have you over for dinner, tonight! Isn't that cool?!"

"Grrrrr…"

Apple Bloom's and Scootaloo's expressions turned down right panicky and they began to wave their forehooves in the air while mouthing the words 'no' and 'stop' to Button Mash.

"So I picked out a bunch of my favorite video games we could play!" Button continued, his lips pulling up into an increasing larger grin. "It's gonna be awesome! I got Foally Fantasy one through six, Super Mustang Brothers, Battlefoals, Twin Dragons…"

"No."

Button paused. "Huh?"

"I said, 'No.'"

Disappointment began to write an epic trilogy across Button's face.

"Oh…" Button replied meekly. "Maybe some other time?" He asked hopefully.

"NO!" Sweetie Belle shrieked.

"Ba… but…" Button stammered as he began to tear up. "What I do?! Did I do something wrong?!" He placed his forehooves on Sweetie Belle's shoulders. "Please! Tell me what I did and I'll fix it!" He pleaded. "I PROMISE!" He added as water begun to stream out of his eyes.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Sweetie Belle cried shrilly as she swatted the Colt's hooves off her body. "I HOPE I NEVER SEE YOU _EVER_ _**AGAIN**_!"

Button's lip began to quiver, and he tried to choke back sobs as his body began to shake.

Sweetie Belle turned and fled from the group, sprinting fast and far down Ponyville's path, away from the school.

"_Ehehuahen… huaaaaaHUaaaWOUAAAAAAAAAAAAAA__**! SWEEEEETIE BELLLLLE!**__" _Button Mash cried out, quickly following it up with a chorus of tortured wails and sobs that caused the young colt to quake and tremble.

Scootaloo's and Apple Bloom's eyes went wide as they stared at each other.

"This is bad…" Scootaloo mused.

"_Reeeeeaaaal_ bad!" Apple Bloom agreed.

-ooooo-

Button's mom pushed open the door to Carousel Boutique, a bell above the door ringing as she entered carrying her saddlebags. She tentatively trotted into the brightly lit, pink interior of the store and glanced at the racks and racks of gem encrusted dresses and mannequins sporting a myriad of different clothing and looks.

"Hello?" She called out into the shop.

"Just a second, dearie!" A voice rang out from a backroom. A white, female unicorn trotted into view, her purple, curled mane and tail bouncing up and down with each step. She smiled warmly at Button's Mom as she looked her over with red-rimmed, magnifying glasses.

"Hello, and welcome to Rarity's Carousel Boutique!" The mare said. "I'm Rarity, the couturier, clothier, and seamstress of everything in the shop." Rarity smiled wide. "Are you looking for anything in particular, or did you just have the _sudden urge _to step inside and see what _suits_ your fancy." Rarity teetered. "_Hehehe_… Sorry, dear… fashion joke… couldn't resist."

Button's mom smiled back at the friendly fashion designer. "Actually, I was told I could find Sweetie Belle's guardian here…"

Rarity's face immediately shifted from optimistic joy to the very picture of dread. "Oh no! What did her friends and her do this time?! Oh _please_ be merciful with her!" Rarity pleaded. "_She's just a young filly_!" She asserted dramatically. "She doesn't know what she's _d_o_o_o_oiiiiiinnnnnnngggg!_" Rarity wailed out as she lowered herself to her knees and placed her forehooves together in front of her face, shaking them up and down.

Button's mom stared blankly at the scene in front of her. "Uh…_actually _Sweetie Belle met up with my son yesterday and I was hoping to invite her over for dinner tonight…"

Rarity's eyes shot open and her face burned crimson. "OH!" She rose to her hooves. "Uh… right… _hehe_… silly me…"

Button's mom smirked as she cocked an eye open. "So, Sweetie Belle is a bit of a trouble maker, is she?"

Rarity grinned, rolling her eyes. "Oh, you simply have _no_ idea!"

Button's mom chuckled. "I understand, my little Button can be quite the hoofull at times too…so, I guess you must be Sweetie Belle's mother, then?"

Rarity gritted her teeth **hard** as her left eye began to twitch and her pupils shrank to pinpricks. "Sssssisssster…" She hissed out between clenched teeth.

"Oh…I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…"

Rarity's glasses began to glow with a faint, blue aura. The glasses practically flew off Rarity's face as she stomped closer to Button's mother.

"So, _dinner_? Rarity began, lasing her words with deadly venom.

Button's mother began to backup, glancing frantically around the Boutique.

"Well I'm _terribly_ sorry, but _**our **_parents are out on vacation and I don't think I could clear…"

"How much for that?" Button's mother asked, pointing towards a lace black and red piece of intimate apparel draped over a mannequin.

Rarity paused and looked over the item, glanced back at the light tan mare, and uttered out an amount.

Button's mom smiled and sat on her hunches, allowing her saddle bag to slide to the ground. She spun her body and placed her forehooves into one of the bags, fishing out a hefty sack of bits. "I'll take it."

Rarity blinked a few times and levitated the bag over to her, glancing inside. "Of course…let me just get your change…" She said as a handful of bits levitated out of the bag.

"Oh, that won't be necessary." Button's mom responded.

"But…" Rarity began to protest.

Button's mom smiled warmly at the unicorn. "It's such an _expertly _crafted item. I couldn't possibly let the beautiful, young mare that made it go without knowing how much her work is appreciated."

Rarity's eyes shot open as her pupils turned to sparkly pools that shimmered in the light. "Oh, of course… I'm sorry, but I never caught your name…"

"It's…"

Sweetie Belle threw open the door to Carousel Boutiques and sprinted inside, stopping once she was in to catch her breath.

_The NERVE of some ponies!_

_Inviting me to dinner, of all things!_

_I mean…where does __**he**__ even get off?!_

…

_Uh…_

_Geez…_

_Maybe I didn't need to yell at him like that…_

Sweetie Belle looked around the room full of dresses, the store notable absent of anypony.

"Rarity?" She called out.

"In here, Sweetie Belle!" Her sister responded.

Sweetie Belle trotted towards the living area of the boutique, the sound of cheerful laughter drifting out as she did.

"Hey Rarity, I…" Sweetie Belle stopped dead in her tracks and her blood ran cold as she laid eyes upon the lightly tanned mare that sat across from Rarity. She stared at Button's mom with eyes full of fear.

_I'm done for…_

"Sweetie Belle, come in here and say 'hello' to…"

"HI MRS. BUTTON MASH'S MOM!" Sweetie Belle said, interrupting her sister.

Button's mom smiled and nodded at the young filly. "Hello again, Sweetie Belle how was…"

"GREAT!"

"… school?" Button's mom shot a quick, confused glance at Rarity which was mirrored by the white unicorn.

"So, did you see Button Mash today?" Button's mom continued.

Sweetie Belle began to sweat bullets. "NOPE!" She replied.

"Oh, that's strange…he said he'd talk to…"

"I NEED TO GO UPSTAIRS!" Sweetie Belle declared. "FOR REASONS!" She added, bolting out of the room and sprinting up the stairs of the boutique.

"I'll uh…I'll just go and see what's troubling her…" Rarity said.

"Sure…" Button's mom replied with a concerned expression on her face.

-o-

Rarity wrapped lightly on Sweetie Belle's door with a forehoof. "Sweetie Belle, darling? Can I come in?"

"Go away!"

"Sweetie Belle, I only want to talk…"

"… FINE!"

Rarity opened the door with her magic and trotted into the bedroom, a beige colored room with lots of hearts and curved lines painted on the walls. Sweetie Belle laid on top of her pink bedspread, her face buried in a pillow.

"Why, whatever is the matter, dear?" Rarity asked, as a blue aura gently closed the door behind her.

"I don't want to go to Button's house…"

Rarity trotted over to the bed. "Why ever not?"

Sweetie Belle paused. "…He's weird!"

Rarity's expression turned stern. "Sweetie Belle! I'm surprised with you! Just because somepony is different is _no_ reason to not want to be their friend."

Sweetie Belle looked up from her pillow. "He's the colt with that weird, spinny hat."

It was Rarity's turn to pause. "Oh… well… that's _still_ no reason to…"

"No!" Sweetie Belle replied.

"Sweetie Belle, you really _should_ reconsider…"

"I SAID, 'NO!'" Sweetie Belle shrieked out.

Rarity nervously glanced at the closed door to the room. "Uh… look, dearie… I don't want to guilt you into anything… but…"

"But, _WHAT_, Rarity?!" Sweetie bell replied in a shrill tone, as she glared at her sister.

"It's just that… well… I was talking to Button's mom and she mentioned that he doesn't have any friends…"

Sweetie Belle's eyes shot open. "Wha… no friends? Like… none at all?!"

Rarity nodded. "In fact, until yesterday, no pony outside his family had even spoken more than a few sentences to him."

Sweetie Belle felt a tightness in her chest, as if her heart began to violently lash out at its surroundings.

_No friends?!_

_He must be sooo lonely!_

Sweetie Belle began to tear up slightly.

_Just…just like I was before I met Scootaloo…_

_OH MY CELESTIA! WHAT HAVE I DONE!?_

Rarity looked over her sister quizzically. "So, erm… as I was…"

Without warning, Sweetie Belle shot up in her bed, jumped off it, and hit the ground on all fours. Her horn and door glowed blue as the door flew open. She sprinted out the door, down the hall, down the steps, and out of the boutique without another word.

Button's mom glanced out of the living area with a worried expression on her face.

Rarity trotted down the steps and into view.

"Uh… she's… _really _excited about tonight…" Rarity offered as she plastered on a smile that was a little _too_ wide across her face.

"Sure…" Button's mom replied as pensive eyes tracked the young filly down the road.

-o-

"_Eh… ehaaa… whua… ehhh…_"

Button sat against a tree and quietly sobbed to himself as he stared down at his green Joy Boy, tears falling from his eyes and dripping onto the wet screen below.

'_**BUZZZZ!**_'

"_Sniff_… ehhee… henh…"

Button paused, pushed a few buttons on the center of the device, wiped the screen with a forearm, and began absentmindedly pressing the side buttons once more as he continued to sob and cry.

"This is all your fault, you know that?" Apple Bloom said as the two sat some distance away, watching Button Mash cry as he continued to play his game.

"ME!" Scootaloo protested. "I didn't rip the poor colt's heart out and stomp on it in front of him!"

"Yeah, but ya didn't have to tease Sweetie Belle and until she felt mad about everythin'!" Apple Bloom added.

Scootaloo paused as she pondered the perfect comeback.

"Yeah, but still!" She shot back.

_Nailed it!_

_A+_

Apple Bloom gave a disgusted sigh. "Ah can't believe he's still cryin'."

"Yeah, you'd think he'd run out of tears at some point, the big crybaby." Scootaloo mused.

"SCOOTALOO!"

"What? I'm just sayin'…"

"Ya need to go up and talk to him!" Apple Bloom declared.

"ME?! Why me?!"

"'Cause it's _ya_ who who got Sweetie Belle all riled up like that!" Apple Bloom accused, pointing a forehoof at Scootaloo.

"But… but he's all weird… and moist…"

"That don't matter right now!" Apple Bloom insisted. "Ya need to fix this mess you caused!"

"Alright, alright!" Scootaloo replied. She began to trot over to Button Mash, stopped halfway, and looked back at Apple Bloom with a pleading look on her face.

Apple Bloom shot Scootaloo a stern look and pointed a forehoof out at the colt.

Scootaloo frowned and turned back.

"BUTTON MASH!"

The two fillies looked on as Sweetie Belle shot down the path on a course directly towards the brown colt.

"IT'S SWEETIE BELLE!" Scootaloo shouted. "HIDE!" She quickly spotted a nearby bush and dove into it.

Apple Bloom trotted over to her orange pegasus friend. "What is it with ya and hidin' anyhow?"

"I figure I can get my cutie mark in hiding!" Scootaloo explained. "I bet it'd be _awesome_! Like…a ninja or something…"

"Yeah, or it could be somethin' stupid like a dumb bush." Apple Bloom countered.

"I uh… didn't think about that…"

"Button…_huff_…Mash…_puff_!" Sweetie Belle called again, as she attempted to catch her breath.

"Whua…"

'_**BUZZZZ!**_'

Sweetie Belle's looked at Button with a freighted, apologetic expression.

"Your game…I didn't mean to…"

Button looked up and made loud, phlegmy sniffing sound. "_SNORT…_It's okay…I just got started, anyhow…"

"Hey…Button, I'm…"

"Sweetie Belle," Button interrupted. "I'm really sorry I asked you to dinner. I understand why you said no."

"Uh…you do?" Sweetie Belle replied.

"Yeah, it's 'cause I'm so weird and no pony wants to be around me."

Sweetie Belle felt the pain in her chest worsen, as if somepony had dug fishhooks into her heart and began to pull it with every word Button uttered.

"I mean… I just sit around and play video games all day, and don't talk to anypony…" Button continued. "I don't know how to make friends… It's no surprise the first pony to even talk to me wants nothing to do with… "

"STOP!" Sweetie Belle commanded.

"Uh… alright…"

Sweetie Belle quickly rubbed a forearm over her eyes, clearing the small pool of tears that began to form. "I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. You didn't deserve it."

"Oh, okay…" Button replied, the barest hints of a smile returning to his face. "Does this mean…does this mean we can be friends?"

Sweetie Belle nodded with a small smile. "Of course!" She squeaked out.

Button beamed wide.

"Sooooo…" Sweetie Belle continued. "See you tonight?"

Button gasped. "REALLY!?"

Sweetie Belle's smile widened. "Yep!"

Button Mash raised up on his back legs and began to excitedly raise his forelegs into the air. "YAAAAAY!"

"_**Oooof**_…" To her great surprise, Sweetie Belle soon found brown forelegs wrapped around her.

"Oh thank you, Sweetie Belle! THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

"Uh…" Sweetie Belle smiled and returned the hug. "Sure Button."

"Well… looks like everything went an' worked itself out…" Apple Bloom mused.

Scootaloo took this opportunity to emerge from her bush.

"GIVE ME A 'K'!"

Apple Bloom looked at her friend quizzically.

"GIVE ME AN 'I'!"

"GIVE ME AN 'S'!"

Her back turned to her friends, Sweetie Belle shot a glare at the tree in front of her.

"GIVE ME ANOTHER 'S'!"

"Scootaloo! Quit it!" Apple Bloom demanded.

"GIVE ME ANOTHER 'I'!"

"Ah'm warning you!"

"GIVE ME AN 'N'!"

"GIVE ME A 'G'! What does that spell? KISSING! What does Sweetie Belle want to do with Button Mash? KISS_**OW**_! APPLE BLOOM! STOP GET OFFA ME! _**OUCH!**_ WHY DO YOU TWO ALWAYS GO FOR MY WINGS?!"

-ooooo-

Button's mom waited pensively inside the house, pacing back and forth inside the kitchen.

_Alright, well…I'll cook Button's favorite dinner for him regardless…_

_And I'll spend some time playing video games with him if she says 'no'…_

Button's mom paused and stared at the front door to the family's house, quite afraid she'd spend the evening attempting to console her heartbroken son.

_Oh please, Celestia… let her say 'yes'! Oh please, oh please, oh please, oh…_

The door to the house flew open "_Moooooooom_! I'm _hoooooome_!"

Button's mom's face lit up at the sight of her smiling son. "Hello Button! Did you talk to Sweetie Belle?" She asked, though she was almost certain she already knew the answer.

"I DID!" Button replied excitedly. "She said she could come over! Isn't that _soooo cooool_?!"

Button's mom smiled warmly. "It sure is, sweetie…"

-ooooo-

"I'm _really _proud of you, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said as the two stood inside the shopping area of Carousel Boutiques. "You did the right thing."

"Yeah…I guess so…" Sweetie Belle uttered. "I'm kinda afraid about going to Button's house alone, though…"

Rarity smiled. "Fear not, dear sister! Button's mother was so kind as to invite me as well!"

Sweetie Belle's face lit up. "Really!"

Rarity nodded. "Really! I shall accompany you as your backup pony on your play date."

"IT'S NOT A DATE!" Sweetie shrieked.

Rarity tittered. "_Hehe_… of course not dearie…"

"Hey, you won't run away at the first sign of trouble, will you?" Sweetie Belle asked in a concerned tone.

"Of course not, sweetie! Sister Solidarity all the way!" Rarity declared, throwing a forehoof into the air.

Sweetie Belle beamed wide. "Thanks, Rarity!"

"Of course, dear!" Rarity's eyes began to drift, as something behind her sister caught her attention.

"I just wish that I could make friends with someone who wasn't such a weir…"

"THAT DRESS DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH RIBBONS!" Rarity screamed as she rushed at the offending garment, tore it from the rack with a blue aura and sprinted back into her work area, dress flying behind her.

Sweetie Belle sighed heavily. "Never mind."


	3. Chapter 3

The SweetieMash Chronicles

Chapter 3: Into the House of Mash

-oooooooo-

Sweetie Belle sighed as a light-blue aura surrounded the red, gem-studded bow in her hair and adjusted it for what must have been the dozenth time that evening.

"Rarity!" she squeaked out. "It's fine! He probably won't even notice."

Rarity and Sweetie Belle trotted down a moon lit path on the way to Button Mash's house as Rarity continued to fuss with the bow in her little sister's mane.

"Now, Sweetie Belle," Rarity began as she trotted along wearing a pair of white, purple-gem-studded saddlebags, "it's important to look our best when we go out to visit company."

"_You're_ not dressed up, or anything." Sweetie Belle argued.

Rarity tittered to herself quietly. "Well, I _always_ look my best."

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes at her sisters comment. "I don't know why we have to make such a…"

-ooooo-

"… big deal about this, Button Mash." Button's mom said soothingly to her young colt as the two sat in front of their family's front door.

"I know mom… but…" Button turned to his mother with a worried expression. "…what if she thinks I'm weird?"

Button's mom smiled. "Button, it's not important if she thinks you're weird or not. What's important is that she accepts you for who you are, weirdness or not."

Button dwelled on his mother's response briefly, raising a forehoof to his chin. "… Well... what if she thinks I'm _too_ weird to accept?" Button countered

"Button sweetie, don't worry so much!" Button's mom said, continuing to smile. "Just show her some of your video games, I'm sure you two will have a lot of…"

-ooooo-

"… fun about sneakin' around, following Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom asked, as she and Scootaloo snuck around, following Sweetie Belle and Rarity as the two unicorns approached Button's house.

The house was much like any other in Ponyville. Beige, thatched roof, with lots of large windows set all over the house, spacious with two large floors, a small third floor, and a basement.

"We're not sneaking around because it's fun," Scootaloo replied. "We're sneaking around because I don't trust this Button Mash… _or_ his mom…" Scootaloo glanced to her side briefly. "_And_ because it's fun."

"What's not ta trust?" Apple Bloom inquired, cocking an eye up at Scootaloo. "He jus' invited Sweetie Belle over for dinner, and her big sister is even with her."

Scootaloo slowly looked to her left, then to her right before leaning closer to Apple Bloom and speaking in a hushed tone. "You notice how he doesn't have any friends?"

"Well, sure! That's why Sweetie Belle is goin' over in the first place."

"Yeah, but did you ever wonder why?"

"Ah jus' thought it was 'cause he never talked to nopony."

"Yes, but _why?_"

"Uh, 'cause he spends all his time playing those beepin' doohickeys of his?" Apple Bloom suggested.

Scootaloo shook her head and placed her forehooves on Apple Bloom's shoulders. "I bet it's 'cause his mom secretly captures ponies he meets and ships them off to a faraway land to work as slaves building those little games piece by piece."

"Scootaloo, thare is _so much_ wrong with that idea, ah don't even know where to begin!" Apple Bloom replied, brushing the orange pegasus's hooves off of her.

"Well, you ever hear of anypony being friends with Button _or his mom_?" Scootaloo asked, painting suspicion all over her face as she leaned in close to Apple Bloom and stared her in the eyes.

"No, but ah haven't heard of any ponies goin' missin', either!" Apple Bloom countered, backing up slightly.

Scootaloo grinned. "Well, maybe they haven't done it yet!"

Apple Bloom paused and thought about this. "That don't make a lick of sense!"

Scootaloo shrugged. "I'm only thinking about…"

-oo-

"… Sweetie Belle, I want you on your best behavior," Rarity said. "Be polite. If somepony passes you something, grab it with _both_ hooves, keep your arms off the table, and be sure to say 'please' and 'thank you'."

"Rarity," Sweetie Belle moaned, "I _know_ how to behave! Why is it, every time you take me out…"

-oo-

"… you are a soldier of Pondor!" Button's mother said enthusiastically, as she looked down at her son. "Whatever comes through that gate... you _will_ stand your ground!"

Button Mash grinned determinedly at the door, and began to dig at the carpet underneath it with a hoof.

'_Knock, knock'_

"Oh, that must be them." Button's mom said with a smile. "I'll get the door, sweetie," she said as she trotted over to the door and opened it.

Rarity and Sweetie Belle stood in the doorway. Rarity smiled and…

"SWEETIE BELLE!" Button called out excitedly, leaping into the air.

"_WHAAA!_" Sweetie Belle cried out in alarm as the young, brown colt pounced on her.

'_Thud!_'

"Hi, Sweetie Belle," Button said as he grinned excitedly and stood above the young filly.

"Er… hi, Button…" Sweetie Belle replied tentatively as she looked up at the smiling colt.

Rarity looked at the display in front of her with a slightly bemused expression and stifled a giggle with her forehoof.

"Button Mash! Personal space!" Button's mom called out in a chastising tone.

"Oops, sorry mom…" Button said as he backed away from Sweetie Belle.

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Sweetie Belle!"

Button held out a arm towards Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle reached out her own arm and looped it around Button's as the young colt helped her to her hooves. "Sorry Sweetie Belle…" Button uttered embarrassedly as he broke eye contact.

"Uh… it's fine…" Sweetie Belle replied.

Button Mash suddenly turned back to Sweetie Belle with a smile. "Hey! I like your bow! It's all sparkly and _cool!_"

Sweetie Belle finally cracked a smile. "Thanks! My sister made it for me!"

"Radical!" Button responded.

"Sorry," Button's Mom offered glancing over at Rarity, "my little pep talk to Button might have been a little _too_ effective."

"Quite alright, dear," Rarity replied with a smile. "Sweetie Belle likes getting a little dirty," she added as she glanced at her younger sister. "Don't you, dearie?"

Sweetie Belle shot her sister a quick glare. _Does she __**have**__ to use my own words against me?_

Rarity looked back to her hostess. "Uh, I should _apologize_ for my earlier behavior, today. One forgets themselves when they spend much of their days working alone…"

Button's mom smiled and nodded, "It's quite alright, I understand how that can feel."

"Mom! Can I show Sweetie Belle my room?" Button asked. "Can I?! CAN I!?"

Button's mom smiled and nodded. "Of course, sweetie!"

"YAY!" Button cried as he looped a arm around of one of Sweetie Belle's. "Let's go!"

"_Eeeek_!" Sweetie Belle gave out a startled yelp as Button Mash dragged her along at a rapid pace, springing back into the house, down the hall, and up the stairs.

Rarity chuckled once more as she watched the enthusiastic colt drag her little sister behind him.

"Oh!" Button's mom exclaimed as she covered her mouth with her forehooves. "I forgot to have him introduce himself to you!"

"Quite alright, dearie." Rarity replied. "He seemed _very_ excited to see my sister."

Button's mom grinned. "He hasn't stopped talking about her since he got back from school." Button's mom held the door open wide. "Please, come inside."

Rarity nodded and trotted past the doorway. "Thank you, dear."

-ooooo-

"See! He attacked her!" Scootaloo said, motioning out towards Button's house.

"That looked _mighty_ friendly for an attack." Apple Bloom mused.

"Whatever," Scootaloo replied. "I still don't trust him…let's peek into his window and see what they're doing."

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom replied narrowing her eyes slightly, "Most bedrooms in Ponyville are on the _second_ floor."

"Uh…" Scootaloo thought about this. "Let's get a _ladder_ and spy on them!" she suggested trotting off away from the house.

Apple Bloom sighed. "Ah better get my cutie mark in spyin' or somethin' for all this…this is getting' ridiculous!"

-ooooo-

Sweetie Belle took a quick glance around Button Mash's room. A beige room with a blue bed, blue book cases, a toy chest, and the few odd toys strewn about. If it weren't for the large display against the wall and the series of rectangular items with cords leading into it, Sweetie Belle would have considered the bedroom to be fairly typical of a young colts.

"Oh this is going to be _soooo_ cool!" Button Mash said excitedly as he nabbed a small rectangular cartridge in his hooves and held it up for Sweetie Belle to see.

Sweetie Belle squinted and read the title out loud. "Cloptra: Hard Corps?" she looked over the art on the cartridge, a pony wearing futuristic-looking armor and firing a rather large rifle at a giant, black, sinister-looking robot of some sort.

"Looks… uh… _exciting?_" Sweetie Belle offered.

"It's _soooo_ rad!" Button insisted. "And we can play together!"

Sweetie Belle smiled a bit. "Oh, sounds fun!"

Button beamed at Sweetie Belle and trotted over towards the display, inserting the cartridge into one of the boxy devices in front of it.

-ooooo-

"So, Love Tap," Rarity said to the light tan mare as she gently placed her saddlebags on the kitchen floor, "I hope you won't mind that I brought a little, uh… _something_ to have with dinner."

Love Tap smiled warmly at Rarity. "No, not at all."

With a light-blue aura surrounding it, a bottle of red wine floated up out of Rarity's saddlebag. Rarity glanced back at Love Tap. "Uh, you _do_ drink wine, don't you?"

Love Tap looked at the bottle with just the hints of pensiveness in her features. "Well, I'm more of a cider pony…" she admitted sheepishly. "…but I'm _happy_ to give this a try."

Rarity giggled. "Fear not, dear. For _I_ shall be your sommelier for the evening!" she declared as she happily levitated a corkscrew, and a couple of cloth-wrapped bundles out of her saddlebags. She began to unwrap the bundles with her magic, revealing a pair of fishbowl wine glasses.

-oooo-

"Alright, so first we get the ladder," Scootaloo said, "then we'll place it next to Button's bedroom so we know when to make our _daring_ rescue!" Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom pulled a ladder away from the barn wall, attempted to steady it on her back, and stumbled with an "_Ooof_!" as she lost her balance.

Apple Bloom stood up to her hooves and shook her head clear a bit. "Well, what if she doesn't _need_ a darin' rescue?"

Scootaloo paused and blinked a few times. "Uh… I guess… well… I guess we just watch them, then…"

Apple Bloom sighed. "Well that's no fun… ah _really_ hope we don't get a peeping cutie mark because of this…"

-ooooo-

"Sweetie Belle," Button moaned, "You need to shoot the missiles when they're fired out at you!"

The foals tapped on their controllers in frustration as the light from the display washed them in an assortment of bright colors.

"I'm _**TRYING**_!" Sweetie Belle insisted as she frantically tapped at the controller in her hooves. "Give me a break" She squeaked out. "I hadn't even _seen_ a video game until yesterday!"

"And you need to jump with the robots shoot lasers at you!" Button added.

"I'M JUMPING! I'M JUMPING!"

"Oh! Grab that power-up!" Button said, pointing out to the screen.

"What power-up?!" Sweetie Belle cried frantically. "What's it look like?!"

Button narrowed his eyes and glanced at Sweetie Belle. "How can you _not_ know what a power-up looks like?!"

"I TOLD YOU, I HADN'T EVEN SEEN A VIDEO GAME UNTIL YESTERDAY!" Sweetie Belle shrieked out.

Sweetie Belle's ears flopped down and she glared angrily at the screen as a loud exploding sound emanated from the displays speakers.

Button's face dropped. "_SWEEEEEETIEEE BELLLLLE_!" He wailed.

"STOP YELLING AT ME!" Sweetie replied. "THIS IS REALLY HARD!"

Button Mash sighed. "Again?"

Sweetie Belle shot the young colt a determined glare and nodded. "Again!"

-ooooo-

Love Tap shot Rarity a slightly surprised look as the white unicorn swatted the tan mare's hoof away from the full wine glass on kitchen counter.

"Nu-uh-uh," Rarity tutted, "the wine needs to breathe for about 15 minutes first." she informed.

"Oh…sorry…" The mare said meekly.

"Quite alright, dear," Rarity replied. "I'm sure this is your first experience with fine wine."

One of Love Tap's eyes twitched slightly at Rarity's statement as she fought the urge to frown.

"So," Rarity began, "forgive me for asking, but is it just little Button Mash and you?"

Love Tap regained her fumbled smile and nodded. "Often times, yes…Button's father travels quite a bit and our eldest son has taken _quite_ the interest in my husband's work."

"Ahh… and he does..?"

"He's been interested in microprocessor technology ever since he and I were foals, he's actually helped design many of the items Button plays with."

"Ah, those little… uh… beeping things your son plays with…" Rarity said sheepishly.

Love Tap shot a quick glance towards the ceiling. "Video game systems," She corrected, looking back at Rarity. "My husband designs circuit boards, CPUs…you know, those sorts of things."

"Erm… **right**… _fascinating_…" Rarity offered, as she blushed slightly and levitated one of the glasses of wine up to her mouth.

Love Tap blinked a few times, staring at Rarity. "Doesn't the wine need to breathe first?"

"You know…" Rarity replied. "…the whole breathing process is overrated…" she said as she lifted a hoof to hold her own glass and used her magic to bring the other over to Love Tap.

Love Tap snatched the glass out of the air and nodded politely to Rarity.

Rarity raised her glass. "Cheers!"

Love Tap lightly tapped her glass against Rarity's with a small '_tink_'.

"Cheers!" She replied.

The two mares tilted their heads back and quickly drained the wine from their glasses.

-ooooo-

"Ugh, this is so much easier to carry when there are three of us…" Scootaloo moaned as she held the backend of a ladder on her back and trudged up with path.

"Well, it was _your_ idea." Apple Bloom reminded as she glanced behind her, also trudging with the ladder.

"Hey! I'm just looking out for Sweetie Belle here!" Scootaloo said.

"Did it ever occur to you that, _maybe_, Sweetie Belle doesn't need lookin' after?"

Scootaloo strained under the weight of the ladder. "But…I've _always_ been the one to look after her…" Scootaloo protested.

"Scootaloo! She's not a little foal! She can take care of her…" Apple Bloom paused and dropped the ladder.

"Hey! Watch it!" Scootaloo called out as she also dropped her end of the ladder.

"Is _that_ why you've been ridin' Sweetie Belle so hard, today?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Uh…is _what_ why?" Scootaloo replied nervously.

"You're jealous of Button Mash, Ya think he's gonna take over lookin' after Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom said, leveling an accusing forehoof at Scootaloo.

"NO!" Scootaloo insisted forcefully.

… _Loading Scootaloo comeback list._

… _Searching …_

… _Suitable comeback located …_

"_SHUT UP_!" Scootaloo shouted.

"Don't tell **me** to shut up!" Apple Bloom replied angrily. "Ya shut up!"

"No, **you** shut up!"

"No, _**ya!**_"

"No you!" Scootaloo said as she closed the distance between her and Apple Bloom, leveling an angry glare inches away from the yellow filly's face.

"_YA!_"

"_**YOU**_"

-ooooo-

"_Dodge_!" Button commanded.

"I'm TRYING!" Sweetie Belle insisted.

"DODGE!"

"THIS ISN'T EASY FOR ME, BUTTON!"

"_**DODGE!**_"

"_**STOP YELLING 'DODGE' AT ME!**_" Sweetie Belle shrieked.

The sound of a fiery explosion once again played out the speakers.

"Sweetie Belle, you didn't dodge!" Button moaned.

"_Rrrrgghh_, I was _**trying**_!" Sweetie Belle insisted angrily.

"NO!" Button Mash insisted forcefully. "Do…or do not. There is no try."

"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!" Sweetie Belle shrieked.

Button sighed. "Mom would have dodged…"

"WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD GET HER TO PLAY YOUR STUPID GAME AND HANG OUT WITH YOU, THEN!" Sweetie Belle countered.

Button's ears flopped to the side of his head as his eyes went wide and begun to tear up. "_Eh…enh…heh…whua…WHUAAAAAAAAAAAAA!_"

Sweetie Belle glanced nervously at the door. "Hey, _shuuuuu_…" she said, placing a hoof up to her mouth. "... It's okay… Let's try again…"

Button wiped a hoof under his nose. "_Snnnnifff... _Really?" Button replied hopefully.

Sweetie Belle closed her eyes, smiled, and nodded. "Really."

"Alright…" Button replied. "Uh…sorry I yelled at you, Sweetie Belle."

"It's alright..." Sweetie Belle replied. "Sorry I yelled back." she tapped her controller a few times and looked back at the screen. "Ready?" she asked as she grinned excitedly.

"Ready!" Button replied.

-oooo-

"Thanks again for helping me set the table, Rarity." Love Tap called out as she continued to fry French toast in a shallow pan in front of her.

"Of course, dearie!" Rarity called out from the dining room. She poked her head into the kitchen. "You wouldn't happen to have any parsley, would you?"

Love Tap turned to face Rarity with a slightly surprised look on her face. "Uh, no…wait…are you _garnishing_ the plates?!"

"Well, I just thought a splash of green would _really_ make the dish sing." Rarity explained.

"You know the kids won't even notice…" Love Tap replied.

Rarity shot Love Tap a glare, levitated her glass of wine into view, and emptied the contents into her mouth. She raised her muzzle into the air. "Hmmmph! Well, just because _some ponies_ are more concerned with _fancy_ doodads over appearance doesn't mean we all have to be…"

Love Tap reached over for her own glass of wine, and similarly drank the liquid down. "I'm _sorry_," she hissed out. "I can't help if my husband and I are better at keeping up with technology than most ponies."

Rarity narrowed her eyes further as her face flushed and she puffed out her cheeks.

Love Tap looked over the angry mare's expression and attempted to relax her own a bit. "Uh… is there any more wine? It's _really_ good…"

Rarity's own expression softened as she remembered herself. "Oh… of course… I'm... sorry, darling… I don't know what came over me…"

Love Tap breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry, too. Honestly, all your wine knowledge and, _uh_…I'm not quite sure how to put this…" Love Tap paused to place a forehoof to her chin and stare out the corner of her eyes "…er…high society mannerisms …"

"Savoir faire? Je ne sais quoi?" Rarity suggested.

Love Tap looked back at the white unicorn and chuckled. "Yes, _that_…it's a little intimidating…"

Rarity gasped. "You were intimidated by me!? Oh, darling…" Rarity began, rolling her eyes slightly. "..And here _I_ was feeling intimidated by all your fancy technology knowledge…"

Love Tap smiled. "It's alright… here." She raised her glass. "Let's start over…"

Rarity looked at the empty glass. "Just a second, dearie…"

Rarity trotted over to her saddlebags and levitated out a bottle of white wine while unwrapping a fresh set of glasses.

"Uh, how much wine _did_ you bring?" Love Tap enquired.

Rarity giggled nervously, "_Hehe_… Three bottles… I _may_ have been a **bit** overenthusiastic…" she admitted.

Love Tap chuckled. "I'm not complaining," she said, trotting over to Rarity.

Rarity floated a glass of white wine into Love Tap's waiting hoof and the two clinked glasses again.

"To new friendships!" Rarity said with a smile.

"To new friendships!" Love Tap echoed as she mirrored the smile.

The two mares took a few sips from their glasses.

Love Tap stared at the table as she begun to absentmindedly swirl the glass in her hoof. "If only there was something we could do that the kids would…" Love Tap paused and her eyes went wide. "I GOT IT!" she declared.

"Uh, got what, sweetie?" Rarity replied.

Love Tap placed her forearms on Rarity's shoulders, continuing to hold her wine in a hoof. She stared into Rarity's blue eyes with wide, exited-looking teal eyes. "Three words: French… toast… tower."

Rarity paused, mulling over the words…

"… It's brilliant!" Rarity declared.

Love Tap beamed and nodded her head enthusiastically. "I know!"

"The kids will _love_ it!" Rarity squeaked out, rising her forehooves together under her chin.

"I know!"

"Why, with my knowledge of aesthetics and your knowledge of French toast structural integrity, we can't fail!"

"YES!" Love Tap replied excitedly.

"I shall draft a design, post haste!" Rarity stated, as she rushed to her saddlebags and pulled out a sheet of paper, a quill, and a bottle of ink.

Love Tap ran back to the stove. "And I'll create more building material!"

"And I shall pour us more wine!" Rarity cried.

Love Tap grinned mischievously. "YES!"

-ooooo-

"Ow! Stop hitting me!" Scootaloo cried as she tussled with Apple Bloom on the ground.

"YA stop hitting _ME_!" Apple Bloom replied.

"No, you!"

"NO, YA!"

"_**NoOoOoOoOoO, YOU! **_OW! **Again** with the wings…wait…Apple Bloom TRUCE! _**STOP**_!" Scootaloo pleaded.

Apple Bloom unclamped her teeth from around Scootaloo's wing and slowly backed away.

"Sorry I got mad at you, Apple Bloom…you were right…" Scootaloo admitted sheepishly.

"Ah was?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yeah…I just don't want Sweetie Belle to stop being our friend…" Scootaloo added.

"Scootaloo, just 'cause Sweetie Belle is makin' a new friend doesn't mean she's gonna stop being ours."

Scootaloo sighed. "Yeah… I know… I'm just so used to being the one who's always there for her, you know…"

Apple Bloom paused as she thought about this. "Hey! We can still see if she needs rescuin'!" she suggested.

"Really?" Scootaloo asked beaming.

"Sure!" Apple Bloom replied, rising a hoof into the air with a smile.

Scootaloo excitedly raised her own hoof into the air and slapped it against Apple Blooms.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS RESCUERS, YAY!"

-ooooo-

"You got him!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed excitedly as the sound of rumbling resounded from the speakers.

"_We_ got him!" Button Mash corrected happily.

Sweetie Belle blushed slightly. "You did most of the work…"

"That's okay." Button Mash replied. "You really helped me out!"

Sweetie Belle grinned. "I did, didn't I?"

Button nodded. "Ready for the next level?"

Sweetie Belle threw an enthusiastic forehoof into the air. "Let's _do_ it!"

-ooooo-

"Yes!" Rarity exclaimed as she stacked pieces of French toast on a large serving platter against each other like playing cards, if playing cards were made out of egg soaked toast. "Yes, yes, yes, yes!" She carefully inserted a number of toothpicks into the toast, pinning them together.

Love Tap placed another huge plate of French toast onto the large, wooden, dining room table. "_Whe're doing it, mare!_" She said, slurring her words a bit. "_Whe're making this hapen!_"

-ooooo-

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo set the ladder up against Button Mash's house, next to a window that flashed with a myriad of colors as the sounds of excited laughter and noises from the game inside rang out.

"You first." Scootaloo said.

"No, ya can go first." Apple Bloom insisted.

"No, no, no, no…" Scootaloo replied, waving her forearms in front of her. "You first!"

"You're the one who's worried about Sweetie Belle, ya should climb up first."

Scootaloo thought about this then nodded. "Alright…"

-ooooo-

"Sweetie Belle! Watch out!" Button cried.

"There's _too_ many of them!" Sweetie Belle replied as she continued to tap on her controller rapidly. "I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE IT!"

"No way!" Button shouted, narrowing his eyes at the screen. "I won't let us wipe on the last boss." He said determinedly as he dropped his controller to the floor.

"Button?! What are you…"

Button placed his hooves over the controller's buttons, and began to rapidly mash his hooves against the sides.

-ooooo-

"No! Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no…" Rarity said as she frantically attempted to hold a several foot tall tower of French toast in place with her magic as it began to teeter and lean to the side.

"I got it!" Love Tap replied, quickly grabbing more pieces of French toast. "I can reinforce the foundation!"

Beads of sweat began to form around Rarity's face as she held the tower in place, Love Tap carefully adding supporting French toasts to the sides and pinning them into place with toothpicks.

-ooooo-

"Whoa…" Scootaloo uttered as the ladder began to rock slightly.

"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom shouted. "I'm slipping!"

"Hold on!" Scootaloo cried.

"Ah… ah can't! _EEEEE_…" As Apple Bloom's hooves slipped on the rungs of ladder, Scootaloo quickly leaned down and snatched Apple Bloom's bow in her mouth.

"_I wwon't lwet ywou fwall!_" Scootaloo shouted through a mouthful of bow.

-ooooo-

Sweetie Belle looked on with awe as Button's character began to expertly dodge attacks, shot projectiles out of the sky, and deliver an endless stream of well-placed shots into the boss as Button sat transfixed on the screen, rapidly pounding away at his controller with his hooves.

"Come on… come on…" Sweetie Belle murmured.

A series of explosions sounded out from the speakers, as the screen began to emanate a bright, white light.

"YOU DID IT!" Sweetie Belle cried.

Button Mash shook his head, as if clearing it from a trance. "I did?"

"Button! That was _AMAZING_!" Sweetie Belle announced shrilly as she wrapped her forearms around the brown colt.

Button Mash paused briefly, then smiled as he returned the affection.

"_Hehehehe_…"

Sweetie Belle's face flushed crimson as she recognized the cadence of her sisters sniggering. She let go of Button and gently distanced herself from him.

"Rarity!" She cried. "Uh…how long were standing there?"

"_Jusht_ long enough to _see_ your **reshounding** victory over…uh…whatever that _horrid_ thing wass…" Rarity replied, with a slight slur.

Sweetie examined her red faced sister carefully. "Are you drunk?" she asked.

"Drinking, dear." Rarity responded, as she levitated her wine glass up to her lips and took another sip. "Preshent tensse…"

"Hi, Sweetie Belle's sister," Button said.

"Rarity." Rarity informed.

"Hi, Rarity." Button replied. Button peered past the white unicorn. "Where's mom?"

"_Hiccup_… ah yess… your mother said something about a noise outside…"

-o-

"Hwold on, Awppwe Bwoom!" Scootaloo cried, teeth still clamped around Apple Bloom's bow.

"There's nothin' to hold on _to_!" Apple Bloom replied as she swung precariously above the ground.

'_Rrrriiiii..._'

Apple Bloom's and Scootaloo's eyes went wide as the bow began to tear.

Apple Bloom looked down and gulped.

'… _iiiiiip'_

Apple Bloom screamed. "_AAAAAAAAA__**OOOFF**_!"

"Got ya!" Love Tap announced as she caught the falling filly.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief as the light tan mare gently lowered Apple Bloom to the ground. Their relief was quickly and violently crushed by the giant boulder of dread as they both stared mare who blankly looked at Apple Bloom, then Scootaloo, then the ladder.

"We're in a lot of trouble… aren't we?" Scootaloo asked sheepishly.

Love Tap took another look at the fillies, then smiled. "How would you two like a nice, French toast dinner?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other and grinned.

-ooooo-

Rarity and Button Mash looked at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo in confusion as Love Tap escorted the two fillies inside.

Love Tap shot her son and Rarity a nod and warm smile that soothed their nagging questions.

Button, instead, turned his focus to a sheet that sat in a long, pyramid like shape on the center of the dining room table and extended nearly to the ceiling.

Sweetie Belle, on the other hoof, was not so easily swayed.

"What are you two _doing_ here?!" Sweetie Belle demanded.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nervously glanced at each other.

"We were… _crusading_!" Scootaloo suggested.

"Yeah…in… _landscaping_!" Apple Bloom added.

"… Night landscaping…" Scootaloo added.

"I can't _**BELIEVE**_ you two!" Sweetie Belle shrieked at the two fillies.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo hung their heads in shame.

"We're sorry…" they murmured.

"How _**DARE**_ you go crusading without me." Sweetie Belle said.

"Oh… right!" Scootaloo said, looking back up. "Yeah, totally… we _definitely_ should have told you."

"Right!" Apple Bloom agreed. "Won't happen a second time, Sweetie Belle!"

"Well…" Sweetie Belle began, "…I forgive you two just as long as you promise not to do it ever again."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo smiled wide. "Promise!" the two replied with a smile.

The three raised their hooves into the air and excitedly slapped them together. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, YAY!"

"Hey, mom, what's the thing on the table?" Button asked, as he pointed at to the thing on the table with a forehoof.

Love Tap smiled at her son. "Be patient sweetie, you should introduce yourself to Sweetie Belle's friends, first."

"Oh, right!" Button said as he turned his focus to the two fillies. "My name is Button Mash!" he said, extending a forehoof out.

Scootaloo gave it a quick bump with her own forehoof. "Nice to meet ya, Button!"

Apple Bloom walked up and looped her forearm around the colts.

"_Whoawhoawhoawhoa_…" Button muttered as Apple Bloom shook his forearm up and down vigorously.

"Please to _meetcha_!" Apple Bloom said with a smile.

"Ahem." Rarity said.

The four foals turned and looked at Rarity as Love Tap smiled and gave Rarity an approving nod.

Rarity grinned wide and as the sheet began to glow with a light-blue aura.

"I present to you the _Eiffoal tower!_" Rarity declared dramatically as she lifted the sheet up and off a large, yellow and brown French toast structure composed of four support pillars that arched up into a platform which another set of smaller support pillars sat on holding up a large pile of French toast that nearly extended to the ceiling.

"WHOA! COOL!"

"That's amazin'!"

"THAT'S THE BEST DINNER TOWER I'VE EVER SEEN!.. Also, the _only_ Dinner tower I've ever seen…"

"YAY! Best Dinner ever, mom!"

Rarity trotted over to Love Tap and leaned close to her ear. "Ssthink we over did it?"

Love Tap grinned and blushed slightly, raising her hooves up in a way that left a tiny bit of space between them to indicate 'Just a tad'.

-ooooo-

"Awww, Ah fell down again!" Apple Bloom moaned as she tapped the buttons on her controller.

"Who keeps killing me?!" Scootaloo demanded as she looked at the screen in frustration.

Sweetie Belle stifled a giggle, as she smiled and tapped away on her own controller.

Button Mash said nothing, narrowed eyes focused on the screen as his tongue stuck out from his closed mouth.

"Well, I have to admit," Rarity said from the doorway as she looked over the four foals as bright colors from the display filled the room, "The kidss _really_ like thesse video gamess…"

"_Sniff…_"

Rarity turned to Love Tap with a look of surprise. "Are you _crying_, dearie?"

"Na…no…" Love Tap uttered, as she wiped tears from her eyes. "… Okay, a little bit…" she admitted.

"Why, whatever for?"

"I've never seen Button play with so many foals his age, before…"

Rarity smiled and placed an arm over the light tan mare's shoulder. "Come on, dearie. We should at _leasht_ sample that dessert wine I brought…"

"Well…" Love Tap trailed off as she looked over her son and the three fillies he was playing with and smiled. "… I guess they can play a _little_ bit longer…"

The two mares turned from the doorway as the four little ponies continued to focus on the display in front of them.

"Oh, COME ON!" Sweetie Belle shouted at the screen.

"_The winner is…_" A voice called out from the speakers.

"YAY!" Button shouted throwing his forehooves into the air.

"No fair!" Apple Bloom moaned. "You probably play this _all_ the time!"

"Yeah!" Scootaloo agreed. "Sweetie Belle, back us up here!"

Sweetie Belle grinned. "It's okay Button, they're just jealous."

"SWEETIE BELLE!" The other two fillies protested.

Button Mash turned to the young, white filly next to him and smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

The SweetieMash Chronicles

Chapter 4: Button Mash, Colt of Action

-oooooooo-

Button Mash trotted out of the school house into the warm, sunlit Ponyville day. His game-pad saddlebags bouncing lightly as he walked down the few schoolhouse steps and onto a worn path. The propeller that adorned his beanie spun round and round as he put some distance between him and the school.

"Finally!" he sighed out.

Button trotted past the groups of giggling foals towards a familiar, comfortable tree, sat his saddlebags down, and poked his head into one. He fished out a rectangular device with buttons on the side and a screen near the top.

Button leaned his back against the tree, turned on his device and smiled.

"Your days are numbered now, Dr. Ponotnik," Button said, smiling excitedly to himself.

Button settled in for a nice, peacefully, uneventful day of…

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, YAY!"

Button peered up from his device, as he noticed Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom excitedly chatting away.

"So, what are going to do today?!" Scootaloo asked excitedly.

"Ah know!" Apple Bloom said. "Hair stylist!"

"Love it!" Scootaloo replied.

"My sister says we aren't allowed near her hair straightener after we almost set her cat on fire." Sweetie Belle said.

"But her fur was just a _little_ singed…" Apple Bloom whined.

"Ooo! I got one! Street Sweepers!" Scootaloo suggested.

"We tried that already…" Sweetie Belle reminded, "the _Mayor _asked us to stop when we hit bedrock."

"Hey! Watcha girls playing?" Button called out trotting up to the group. "Can I play?"

"Hey Button," Sweetie Belle said with a small smile and a nod.

"Heya, Button!" Apple Bloom said happily.

"Yo." Scootaloo said.

"We're not playing anything," Sweetie Belle explained. "We're crusading for cutie marks."

"Oh, cool!" Button exclaimed. "Sounds fun!"

"It is fun." Sweetie Belle said.

"Most of the time…" Scootaloo added.

"When things go as planned." Apple Bloom said.

"Which is pretty much never." Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom sighed, "Yeah…"

"We still have fun trying, at least!" Sweetie Belle insisted.

"So uh… can I crusade for cutie marks with you?" Button asked.

The three fillies exchanged quick, unsure glances.

"Huddle up, girls!" Apple Bloom called.

The three fillies locked their arms around each other's shoulders.

"I thought you said he didn't care about his cutie mark." Scootaloo said.

"Well… he doesn't," Sweetie Belle admitted, "but we can't just leave him alone…" She nodded her head towards the young colt. "I mean, look how happy he is just to be talking to us."

The three glanced over at Button who continued to wait patiently for a response, his mouth pulled open wide in an eager, goofy, full toothed smile.

The three fillies turned back into their huddle.

"Ah say we take him with us, the more the merrier!" Apple Bloom said.

Scootaloo thought about this, "Well… alright… Hey! I know how he can be a lot of help."

"Scooataloo…" Sweetie Belle uttered in a warning tone as she leveled suspicious eyes at Scootaloo.

"Don't worry! I won't make him do anything we wouldn't do." Scootaloo insisted.

The three went silent.

"Is anypony else a little scared that that's not reassurin'… like… at all?" Apple Bloom asked.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo merely hung their heads in response.

"So uh…" Button interrupted.

"You're in!" Scootaloo said as the three fillies broke their huddle.

"Yay!" Button cried as he enthusiastically rose on his backlegs and waved his forehooves about.

"But you have to be our point man," Scootaloo added.

"'Kay," Button replied. "What's that?"

"It means you're the first to try our crusading ideas," Scootaloo said. "You know…like our front lines."

"_Cooool_!" Button said.

"Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle protested.

"What?" Scootaloo replied. "He's a man… uh… sorta…"

"I'm with Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom said. "It don't feel right makin' Button do our dirty work for us."

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle agreed, "he could get hurt!"

"Fear not, damsel!" Button said heroically as he zipped over to Sweetie Belle and placed his forearm around her shoulders. "For I, _Button Mash_, will bravely face down any dangers that might befall us on our epic quest!"

Sweetie Belle cocked an eye at Button, "Are you _sure_ you know what you're getting yourself into?"

"Well, I've tanked before," Button explained, as he sat back down on his haunches, "I know how to draw agro."

Sweetie Belle's ear's flopped down and she knitted her brow, "What?"

"I think he said he used to be a tank," Scootaloo said.

"That doesn't make sense!" Sweetie Belle squeaked out.

"I'm not sure what drawin' crops has do with anythin', neither…" Apple Bloom added.

"Come on, Sweetie Belle!" Button pleaded. "I wanna do it! Let me be point man! _Please!?_"

"Well, if you're sure…"

Button nodded his head up and down vigorously.

Scootaloo smiled. "Then it's settled."

-ooooo-

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS BASE JUMPERS, YAY!"

Button peered over the roof of the Apple family's barn at the unforgiving ground below and gulped. He then glanced at the pack on his back.

Sweetie Belle joined him and peering over the side. "Uh, girls? I'm not sure this is very safe."

"It's base jumping!" Scootaloo reminded. "It's not _supposed_ to be safe."

"Well, this just seems a bit more unsafe than usual…" Sweetie Belle added.

"Are ya sure these parachutes are gonna work?" Apple Bloom asked looking over to Scootaloo.

"They're parachutes! You pull the string and they open!" Scootaloo insisted. She trotted over next to Button Mash and pointed a forehoof out to a bush on the ground, "And you can just aim for that for a nice soft landing!"

Sweetie Belle interjected, "I'm still not sure…"

"It's alright, Sweetie Belle!" Button said. "I trust her!"

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exchanged a quick glance then looked back at Button. "You do?" they said in unison.

Button Mash nodded, "And as point man, it is my duty… **no** my _honor_ to brave the dangers for the benefit of our epic quest! For I am, _Button Mash_, Colt of Action!" Button declared as he stood up on his back legs and held a forehoof into the air for dramatic effect. Without a second thought, he jumped off the roof and pulled the cord on his parachute. "_Geeeeronnim__**OUCH!**_"

Button fell like a rock, his parachute scarcely making it out of the pack before landing on a heap on top of him and the bushes.

"ARRRRRRRRRGH! It hurts! _IT HURTS!_ THE _**AGONY!**_ STABBING ME FROM ALL DIRECTIONS!"

"Button! Are you alright?!" Sweetie Belle called out in concern.

"HOW COULD A BUSH BE MADE OUT OF _**PAIN?!**_"

"HOLD ON, BUTTON! I'M COMING!" Sweetie Belle cried shrilly.

Apple Bloom quickly rushed over and peered over the side, "Wait, Sweetie Belle! That's a…"

Sweetie Belle jumped off the roof and pulling her chute string, effectively mimicking the same results as Buttons just seconds ago.

"_AIEEEEEEEE__**OWIE**__!_" Sweetie Belle shrieked.

Apple Bloom sighed, "…Thorn-berry bush…"

The parachute covered bush vibrated and pulsated as Button Mash and Sweetie Belle screamed and shrieked, attempting to free themselves from their tangled parachutes and twisted mass of thorny vines.

"Ooooh…" Scootaloo uttered, "I _totally_ forgot thorn-berry bushes have thorns…"

"How can ya forget something like that?!" Apple Bloom demanded, motioning a forehoof out to Scootaloo. "It's _right_ in tha name!"

Scootaloo shrugged. "What am I, a bushtologist?"

"STOP THRASHING! YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE!" Sweetie Belle screamed.

"But the _PAIN_," Button cried, "It surrounds me on all sides! GO ON WITHOUT ME SWEETIE BELLE, I'M DONE FOR!"

"I _can't _go on without you, I'm STUCK!" Sweetie Belle squeaked out.

"REMEMBER ME AS THE BRAVE COLT THAT LEAPED INTO DANGER FOR THE GOOD OF THE FELLOWSHIP!"

"Well, I _**WOULDN'T**_ have to remember you if our _**FRIENDS**_ would just come down here and _**GET US OUT!**_" Sweetie Belle answered, her voice continually climbing octaves into ranges that threatened to give dogs splitting headaches.

"We should probably go help them," Apple Bloom said as she stared down at the bush.

"On it!" Scootaloo replied, shifting her weight back into her haunches.

"SCOOTALOO!" Apple Bloom cried as she refocused her attention on the orange pegasus.

Scootaloo stopped and turned to Apple Bloom. "What?!"

"You were gonna jump!"

"Uh…" Scootaloo looked down at the thrashing mass of thorn bush and parachutes, "…you can't _prove_ that!"

"Let's jus' take the ladder," Apple Bloom said, as she narrowed suspicious eyes at Scootaloo.

The two fillies made their way across the barn roof and down the ladder, trotting over to the thorn-berry bush that was now, strangely quiet.

"Hi Apple Bloom, Hi Scootaloo." Button Mash said.

"Not a word, Scootaloo…" Sweetie Belle said in a warning tone. "Not a word…"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo raised forehooves to their muzzles and stifled giggles as they looked into the bush.

Button Mash was suspended by vines and strings, his legs sprawled out in all directions and he had smears of purple juice all over his fur. Sweetie Belle was in a similar state, except she was upside down and on top of the young colt. Her smears stuck out like a sore thumb on her white coat. Additionally, the two's parachutes had completely tangled up with each other and the foals, lashing the two together.

Apple Bloom's and Scootaloo's hooves quickly proved insufficient for the task of holding in the fillies' laughter.

"_Pfft…HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"_

"Uh, grils?" Button Mash began. "As point man, I highly recommend _not _jumping."

Sweetie Bell rolled her eyes. "It's a little _late_ for that, Button…"

"_HAHAHAhahehehehe…" _Scootaloo managed to gain some control over her giggle fit. "Do you… _pft_… do you two need us to come back later? _Hehehe_… you seemed a bit _tied up_ at the moment… _HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_"

"GET US OUT!" Sweetie Belle shrieked.

"_Hehehe_… Alright…" Apple Bloom said. She and Scootaloo poked their heads into the bush clamped their teeth around one of the parachutes. They began backing up, attempting to pull the parachute and the attached foals out of the bush.

The fabric stretched as the two dug their hooves into the ground and struggled against the resistance of the material. The parachute and those attached to it were firmly bound to the bush.

"PULL HARDER!" Sweetie Belle demanded.

"Whewef twyin'!" Apple Bloom replied through a mouth full of parachute.

Scootaloo simply let out a determined "_Grrrrrr_…" as she continued to back up with her share of the parachute, the task getting increasingly more difficult.

Apple Bloom suddenly lost her footing, placing a back hoof onto a small rock that slipped out from under her.

"_AWWHH!_"

"_WHHHAA!_"

"NO WAIT! OTHER WAY!" Sweetie Belle screeched.

"Uh-oh…" Button muttered.

The taunt parachute pulled the two fillies directly into the bush and into the tangled mass of limbs and string that were Button Mash, Sweetie Belle, and their parachutes.

"Ooofff!"

"_**OWIE!**_"

"OW!"

"_**OUCH!**_"

"ARRRRGH!" Scootaloo screamed. "WHY ARE THERE SO MANY THORNS IN THORN-BERRY BUSHES?!"

"THIS IS WORSE THAN WHEN WE TRIED TO GET OUR TRAILBLAZING CUTIE MARKS IN THE EVERFREE FOREST!" Sweetie Belle screeched.

"Oh! Thorn-berries!" Apple Bloom said, as she craned her neck out and nibbled on some of the purple buries dangling in front of her.

"WHY IS THIS BUSH FULL OF SUFFERING?!" Button Mash wailed as the three fillies on top of him continued to struggle against their spiky bounds.

After much time spent struggling, flailing, arguing, the four foals finally excited the bush…or what was left of it after all the struggling, flailing, and arguing reduced it to a broken heap of vines.

"Ouch!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed as Button clamped his teeth around a thorn in her upper arm and pulled it out. She rubbed the tender spot with a forehoof and gave Button a small smile, "Thanks."

Button smiled back, "No problem."

Sweetie Belle suddenly knit her brow and took a long hard look at Button's face.

"Uh…what's wrong?" Button asked. "Do I have a thorn on my face or…"

Sweetie Belle suddenly leaned in close to the young colt.

Button's face flushed red as Sweetie Belle closed the distance between the two to inches, and quickly to nothing as she opened her lips slightly, placed her mouth over a thorn that was right under his nose, and quickly pulled it out.

"OUCH!" he exclaimed.

Sweetie Belle spat the thorn out of her mouth. "Yes," she answered.

Button stared at Sweetie Belle with wide eyes as he placed his forearm over his mouth.

"Uh Button? Are you okay?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Button said nothing, and only continued to stare. _Oh my gosh?! Was that my first kiss? __**Does that count as my first kiss?!**__ Maybe I should ask mom! But… what if she makes me marry Sweetie Belle?! I'M NOT READY FOR THAT SORT OF COMMITMENT!_

Sweetie Belle blinked a few times and waved a forehoof in front of Button. "Button? Helloooo…?"

"Well, that was a bust." Apple Bloom commented as she raised her forearm to her mouth and clenched her teeth around a thorn.

"Maybe we need to jump from someplace higher!" Scootaloo suggested, likewise pulling thorns from her limbs.

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom responded, "Ah don't think we're gonna get our cutie marks in base jumpin'!"

"Fine!" Scootaloo said. "We'll just need to think about something else, then…"

Sweetie Belle shot a concerned look over towards her friends, "I'm not sure we should put Button through any more trauma… he seems… a bit… _frazzled_."

"I HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO TANK!" Button Mash declared as he emerged from his stupor.

"… Well _that _was an unfortunate choice of words…" Sweetie Belle mused.

Scootaloo smiled, "I like him! He's got guts!"

"His _guts _are exactly what I'm worried about!" Sweetie Belle said.

"He _has_ taken an awful lot punishment," Apple Bloom added.

Button Mash suddenly zipped in front of the girls. "I can do this!" he exclaimed, once again raising a forehoof into the air. "As a heroic adventure of Equestria, it is my responsibility to lay it all on the line and face any and _all_ dangers that come my way!" Button lowered himself back down, "Besides, it's good XP."

The three crusaders exchanged glances.

"Huddle up, girls!" Apple Bloom said.

Once again, the three fillies circled up, placing forearms over each other's shoulders.

"I'm not so sure about this, anymore…" Sweetie Belle admitted.

"What?! He's awesome!" Scootaloo insisted. "He jumped into a thorn-berry bush from a roof and is ready for more! We'll have our cutie marks in _no time _with Button as our point man!"

"Scootaloo has a point," Apple Bloom said. "He sure is enthusiastic about helpin' us."

"Besides," Scootaloo said as she glanced at Sweetie Belle, "you were the one who said we shouldn't leave him alone! Look how happy he is just to be included!"

The three fillies quickly looked over to Button who had reapplied his eager, goofy grin despite his now disheveled and berry juice covered look.

The three turned to face each other once more.

"Oh, alright…" Sweetie Belle sighed out.

The crusaders broke their huddle and turned to Button Mash.

"The quest continues!" Scootaloo declared.

"Yay!" Button cried, once again standing on his back legs and waving his forelegs about victoriously.

Button lowered himself to the ground, "Button Mash, Colt of Action, is ready for round two!" Button smiled and rolled his eyes, "Besides, it's not like it can get any worse than being stuck in a thorn-berry bush."

The three fillies plastered on giant, fake smiles and gulped.


	5. Chapter 5

The SweetieMash Chronicles

Chapter 5: CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS TRAUMATIZERS, YAY!

-oooooooo-

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS BUNGEE JUMPERS, YAY!"

Once again, Button Mash found himself in the unenviable position of being some place high while something was strapped to him. The idea being that he would jump and whatever was supposed to keep him from getting maimed or killed would do its job. Judging by how jagged and pointy the rocks below the bridge were, the later seemed the most likely if things didn't pan out.

Button, still a bit of a disheveled mess, looked over the side of the bridge pensively and gulped.

Sweetie Belle, also still something of a mess, poked her head over the side and scrutinized the unforgiving landscape below.

"Girls," Sweetie Belle said as she looked back at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, "this looks even more suicidal than the _last_ thing we tried."

"She's gotta point," Apple Bloom added, "and so do all those nasty lookin' rocks beneath us."

"Guys look, it's totally fine!" Scootaloo insisted. She motioned to a large rock that had one of the bungee cords tied around it. "Here, this rock can be point man from now on."

Sweetie Belle's and Apple Bloom's expressions relaxed.

"Sounds good," Apple Bloom said.

"Works for me," Sweetie Belle said.

"No way!"

The trio of fillies turned to Button Mash who angrily glared at the rock.

"No _way_ am I getting swapped out for _**a rock**_." Button Mash in insisted.

"But Button," Sweetie Belle protested, "it might not be safe."

"Scootaloo thinks it's safe," Button said as he turned to Scootaloo. "Don't you Scootaloo?"

Scootaloo shrugged. "You jump, the cord catches you, and it brings you back up," she stated simply.

Button nodded, "Good enough for Button Mash, Colt of Action!"

"That's pretty much tha same thing ya said about the parachutes!" Apple Bloom reminded.

Sweetie Belle turned to Button Mash, "Button, you _probably_ should stop trusting everything Scoot…_**NO WAIT!**_"

Button jumped.

"_**GERONIMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!**_"

"BUTTON MASH!" Sweetie Belle shrieked after the young colt. She glanced at his bungee cord and said a quick prayer to Celestia that it would hold.

"_**WHY ARE THOSE ROCKS SO TERRIFYING LOOKING!?**_"

Scootaloo cocked an eye at Sweetie Belle, "What's got you so worried?"

Sweetie Belle turned to Scootaloo with narrowed, serious looking green eyes. "A: I don't want him to die. B: I don't want _us_ to die!"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exchanged a quick, confused glances.

"Why would _we_ die?" Scootaloo asked.

"Do you have any idea what Button's Mom will _do_ to us if something happens to him?!" Sweetie Belle asked.

Apple Bloom's and Scootaloo's eyes suddenly shot open. They quickly poked their heads over the side and also made quiet prayers for the colt's safety.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH.**_"

'_SPROOONG!_'

"… _**HHHHEY!**_" Button Mash said. "The rocks are going away now… _hehehe_… this isn't so bad… I'm flying! _**WHEEEEEE!**_ This is _awesome_!"

The trio of fillies breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"See," Scootaloo said, motioning out towards Button with a forehoof, "nothin' to worry about."

"… THEY'RE COMING BACK! _**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH…**_"

Sweetie Belle glanced over the edge again. "I don't know…he seems awfully freaked out…"

"Well, seemed like he was havin' fun jus' a few moments ago…" Apple Bloom mused.

Scootaloo peeked her head out over the bridge, "Give it a few seconds…"

'_SPROOONG!_'

"... _HHHHHHHEY_! They're leaving again! See you later, crud rocks! Oh man, this is the _best_… _**feeling**__…_ _**EVER!**_"

"There you go," Scootaloo said with a wide grin as she motioned to the yo-yoing brown colt.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!**_ THEY'RE GETTING CLOSER AGAIN! THIS IS THE WORST THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO ME!"

"Maybe we should pull him back up…" Sweetie Belle said with concern.

"He is screamin' an awful lot," Apple Bloom said in agreement.

"It's bungee jumping," Scootaloo said, "it's supposed to have lots of shouting."

'_SPROOONG!_'

"NO, WAIT! THEY'RE GOING AWAY AGAIN! THIS IS THE BEST THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO ME!"

"Are you _suuuure_?" Sweetie Belle said as she raised an eyebrow.

"I jus' imagined there'd be more excited screamin' and less terrified screamin'…" Apple Bloom said.

"…_AHHHHHHH! _WORST THING! _WORST THING!_ _**WORST THING!**_"

"Seriously though," Sweetie Belle said, "how long are we going to let this go on?"

Scootaloo shrugged, "He's gotta _stop_ at some point…"

-ooo-

"Ah can't _believe_ he kept going for over 20 minutes!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, "I may not know a lot about bungee jumpin', but that doesn't seem physically possible!"

"Pinkie Pie _said_ these were the best bungee cords she had," Scootaloo said.

Sweetie Belle looked at her two friends then turned towards the shaking colt next to her. "Are you okay, Button Mash?"

Button Mash continued to tremble uncontrollably, staring out into space with eyes opened wide and pupils the size of pinpoints.

"I have stared into the terrible face of death…" Button murmured, "… yet live to speak about it."

Sweetie Belle turned back to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "I'm not sure jumping is such a great idea, girls…"

"…But was it mercy that stayed death's hand, or am I merely a reminder to other ponies that all will eventually find themselves in death's cold embrace?"

"I mean," Sweetie Belle continued as she raised an eyebrow at Button Mash, "he's saying some pretty _weird_ stuff."

"It's Button Mash," Scootaloo reminded. "How can you tell?"

"Well…" Sweetie Belle thought about this. "The things he says usually aren't so…dark…"

"_Hello Darkness my old friend…_" Button Mash began to sing, still staring out into open space.

"And he _usually_ doesn't start singing folk songs…" Sweetie Belle added.

"…_I've come to talk with you again…_"

"Yeah…he's creepin' me out…" Apple Bloom admitted.

"He's FINE!" Scootaloo insisted. "There's not a scratch on him!" she argued, motioning out to the colt with both her forehooves. "You think it's safe to jump, don't you Button Mash?" she asked as she turned to face Button.

Button Mash forced a tortured smile onto his trembling face, his lips quivering and fighting for every millimeter of movement.

"See!" Scootaloo said, pointing to Button with a forehoof. "He's smiling."

"…_Because a vision softly creeping…"_

"That dosen't _look_ like happy smiling, to me…" Sweetie Belle mused.

"Me neither…" Apple Bloom agreed.

"Do you two want bungee jumping cutie marks, or not?" Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other and then back to Scootaloo.

"…_Left its seeds while I was sleeping…"_

"Do we _haffta_ jump over scary, sharp, jagged rocks?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well, I figured this way there's a good chance we could get daredevil cutie marks out of all of this." Scootaloo replied.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exchanged glances once more.

"…_And the vision that was planted in my brain…"_

"…"

"…"

"Great idea, Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

"Yeah! We're _sure _to get our cutie marks in _something _this way!" Sweetie Belle added.

"…_Within the sound of silence…"_

The trio of fillies looked over the side and gulped.

"Are we sure we wanna do this?" Apple Bloom asked.

"No guts, no glory," Scootaloo replied.

"What is it with you and guts?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Look, let's just all jump on the count of three," Scootaloo said. "One…two…two and a half…two and three quarters…"

"GET ON WITH IT!" Sweetie Belle shrieked.

"…THREE!"

The three fillies jumped.

"_**AaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"**_

After about 20 minutes of frantic screaming followed by manic declarations, the four cutie markless foals found themselves looking for a new activity.

"So…many…rocks…" Scootaloo uttered as she walked along and trembled uncontrollably.

"It was…it was like each one was made to inflict a new form of pain never thought of before!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, also walking and trembling.

"…_In restless dreams I walked alone…" _Button murmured softly.

"Stop it," Sweetie Belle commanded the brown colt.

Button Mash paused and shook his head as if to clear it, "Stop what?" he asked, turning to look at Sweetie Belle.

"_Uhg_… never mind…" Sweetie Belle grumbled.

Scootaloo paused. "Hey! I have an idea!" she declared.

"We're _not _jumping off of anything!" Sweetie Belle said.

"…I have _no_ ideas!" Scootaloo corrected.

"There's gotta be _somethin'_ we can do that doesn't require us to maybe leap to our deaths!" Apple Bloom moaned.

The three fillies paused and gave this some thought.

-ooooooo-

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS BEEKEEPERS, YAY!"

"Alright! So what do I do?!" Button asked excitedly as he looked over at the boxes full of bee hives.

"Jus' go up there and ask the bees if you can have some honey!" Apple Bloom said.

Sweetie Belle cocked an eyebrow, "You really think that'll work?"

"Sure! Granny Smith does it all the time! And she never gets stung or nothin'!"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle paused and stared at the yellow pony.

"Apple Bloom," Scootaloo began, "Your grandma has been doing this for years, do you really think Button Mash is just gonna be able to waltz up there and the bees will fork over their honey?"

"It's okay!" Button Mash said. "I trust her!"

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchanged a quick, concerned glance.

Sweetie Belle walked up to Button Mash and put a forearm around his neck. "Could you excuse us a moment?" she asked the other Crusaders.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nodded.

Sweetie Belle walked the brown colt over a ways away from her friends. "You should _really_ stop trusting everything we say…"

Button's eyes widened slightly, "Even you?"

"_Especially_ me!" Sweetie Belle said. "My ideas are the _worse_…just… just terrible…" Sweetie Belle paused and stared off into space. "I _still _have nightmares about when we tried to get our cutie marks in dentistry…" she said shuddering slightly.

"But…" Buttons began to tear up slightly and his lips quivered, "…you're my best friend!"

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened slightly and she pursed her lips. "Awwwwwww!" she exclaimed. She shook her head, "Wait…but…okay…that doesn't mean you should just blindly do anything I say… or my friends… _especially_ my friends! And _especially_ not me!"

"But… I wanna help!" Button protested.

"Sure, but you don't need to put yourself in harm's way all the time!"

"But it's my duty as valiant adventurer Button Mash to face any and all troubles for the good of the group!"

"Uh… even if _we're _the ones causing the trouble?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Button nodded. "_Especially_ if you're the ones causing the trouble!"

"Button… you really don't have to do this…" Sweetie Belle said meekly.

Button Mash paused and placed his forehooves on Sweetie Belle's shoulders. He locked his big, amber eyes with Sweetie Belle's emerald ones, "I wanna keep you safe."

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened and teared up slightly and she let out a soft whimper. "Alright Button," she said with a smile and a nod, placing a forehoof over one of Button's, "you can keep being our point man if that's what you want."

"Yay!" Button Mash cried as he stood on his hind legs and waved his forehooves about.

Sweetie Belle smiled and trotted back to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, "Good news everypony! He's going to talk to the bees!"

"We'll ain't that the bee's knees!" Apple Bloom replied cheerfully.

"Nice! You tricked him into it," Scootaloo said.

Sweetie Belle frowned, "I didn't trick him! He wanted to do it!"

"You used your feminine wiles on him didn't you?" Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle paused, "Wait… actually I think he used his masculine wiles on me…"

"Do guys even have wiles?" Apple Bloom asked.

Scootaloo shrugged, "Beats me, I'm not even sure what feminine wiles are to tell the truth…"

"Ready or not bees! Here I come!" Button cried as he galloped up to the white boxes full of buzzing bees.

"Go, Button Mash!" Sweetie Belle cheered out excitedly.

"Yeah! Go get that honey!" Scootaloo shouted out.

"You talk to those bees!" Apple Bloom added.

Button Mash suddenly stopped in front of the boxed bee hives and sat on his hooves. "Can I have some honey?" he asked.

Hundreds of angry, buzzing bees suddenly emerged, collecting into a menacing looking cloud that droned with the sounds of danger and pain.

Button's eyes widened as the corner of his lips fell as if they anchors suddenly dropped from the sides of his mouth. "Oh-no…OUCH! OW! _**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**_" Button Mash screamed in a panic as he attempted to run from the angry mass of stinging bees that followed him around.

Sweetie Belle's soaring smile quickly caught fire and crashed to the ground, changing into a giant frown as she watched the brown colt flail about. "I'M THE WORST BEST FRIEND _**EVER**_!" she cried as her eyes began to fill with tears. She threw herself to the ground and began wailing "_**WHUOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**_"

"Don't cry Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom said. "You tried to warn him…"

Sweetie Belle paused, and tried to stop her bawling, "_Sniff_…"

"Yeah, and _then_ she _encouraged _him!" Scootaloo reminded.

Sweetie Belle immediately returned to being a heap of tears, "_**WHUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHUAAAAAAAHUAAAAAHUAAAAAAAAA**_!"

"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom chastised.

"What! She did!" Scootaloo insisted, motioning out to Sweetie Belle with both hooves.

"THE BEES! THEY STING! IT _HURTS_ AND IT _**STINGS!**_ THEY WON'T STOP! AAAAAHHHHH! OH, THEY'RE IN MY EYES! **MY EYES!** AAAAHHHHH! _**AAAAAGGHHH!**_" Button cried as he continued to run about back and forth.

"What are you all doing out here?!" A light brown stallion in a white beekeeper's suit demanded. He had a beehive with a couple of bees buzzing around it painted on the flanks of his suit.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom winced. Sweetie Belle continued to sob.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom turned to face the beekeeper.

"Sorry sir, we were just tryin' to get our cutie marks in beekeepin'." Apple Bloom explained.

The stallion's expression softened, "Oh! Well why didn't you say so? First thing to know about bees is they **hate **the color brown, it reminds them of bears."

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exchanged quick grins.

"Didja hear that?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Yeah! They're only stinging the heck out of Button Mash because he's brown!" Scootaloo replied. She nudged her crying friend, "Come on Sweetie Belle! We've got honey to gather!"

"_Sniff_… Oh… okay…" Sweetie Belle said weakly.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo helped Sweetie Belle to her hooves and the three bolted for the hives.

"WAIT! I HAVEN'T TOLD YOU THE SECOND THING TO KNOW ABOUT BEES!" The bee keeper shouted out.

"OUCH!"

"OWIE!"

"OW!"

"…Always wear a beekeeper's suit around them…"

"AHHHH! THEY'RE IN MY MANE! _**THEY'RE IN MY MANE!**_" Sweetie Belle cried.

"WHY ARE THEY ONLY STINGING MY WINGS?!" Scootaloo screamed.

"I'M SORRY MR. BEES! WE DIDN'T MEAN ANY…OUCH! _**OUCH!**_" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

"DON'T APOLOGIZE!" Button Mash shouted, "THEY STING HARDER IF YOU SAY 'SORRY!'…**OWCH!** WHY'D I SAY IT?! _**WHY'D I SAY IT?!**_"

The beekeeper sighed, "I'll get the garden hose…"

-ooo-

Sopping wet and covered in bumpy, swollen welts, and the occasional berry juice stain, the four foals trudged down the Ponyville path as Celestia continued to move the sun lower in the sky.

"Now what?" Apple Bloom asked.

Scootaloo took a quick glance at the sun, "We still got some daylight left… do we have any other ideas?

"We can see if Sweetie Belle has any ideas…" Apple Bloom suggested.

"Are we really _that_ desperate?" Scootaloo asked.

"We're pretty desperate…" Apple Bloom admitted.

"OUCH!" Button exclaimed as Sweetie Belle clamped her teeth around a stinger on his side and pulled it out. Button scratched at the area with a back hoof. "Thanks, Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie Belle spit out the stinger and stuck out her tongue with a, "_Bleh_…Yeah, no problem…Hey Button?"

"Yeah, Sweetie Belle?"

"I'm _really_ sorry you got stung…" Sweetie Belle said sheepishly.

"Oh, that's alright, Sweetie Belle… I'm just sorry you got hurt… Some point man I turned out to be…"

Sweetie Belle stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes opened wide and she let out a squeaky whimper. _He's not real… He can't __**possibly**__ be this nice to me still after everything I put him through…_

Button Mash paused and stared at Sweetie Belle's face, "Hey Sweetie Belle?"

"Wa… what?" Sweetie Belle stammered out, her face beginning to flush red. She let out a tiny squeak as Button Mash leaned his face forward, opened his lips, and clamped his teeth around something in between her chin and lower lip.

Button pulled his face back. "_Pttu…_" he spit out a stinger, and stuck out his tongue, "_Glck_…sorry…stinger on your face."

Sweetie Belle's eyes became glazed and unfocused. _Oh my gosh! Did Button just kiss me?! Was that my first kiss?! What do I do?! WHAT DO I DO?! Quick, what would Rarity do?!_

"Uh, Sweetie Belle?" Button called out.

_Wait… Rarity would probably spend __**hours**__ in the bathroom getting ready for a date, _Sweetie Belle thought as she began to knit her brow together. _Ulg… Hours and __**hours**__ spent trying to get her hair 'just perfect' and then even more hours of picking out the perfect outfit!_

"Equestria to Sweetie Belle…" Button said, waving a forehoof in front of the near catatonic unicorn. "Helloooo…?"

"Great! Button used his masculine wiles on Sweetie Belle again, an' broke her!" Apple Bloom said.

"What?!" Button Mash protested. "No I didn't! I don't even know what that means!"

Sweetie Belle simply continued to stare off into space, pulling a variety of faces.

"Oh, man!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "I bet he kissed her! Who knows when she'll snap out of it?"

"I didn't kiss her!" Button insisted. "I just pulled a stinger off her face…"

"Yeah, with your mouth, I bet." Scootaloo replied.

Button's face flushed crimson.

Scootaloo chuckled, "Look at his face! He _totally_ did!"

Apple Bloom giggled.

"No… but…" Button began to protests.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other, grinned, and nodded.

"_Sweetie Belle and Button Mash, Sitting in a tree…_"

"But…!" Button protested.

"_K-I-S-S-I-N-G_!"

"No, I just…" Button began to tear up.

"_First comes love, then comes marriage."_

"_Sniff… eh… heee… woua…_"

"_Then comes the foal in the…_"

"_Auunhwuahwuahwuaaaa!_"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo paused as Button started wailing.

Sweetie Belle suddenly snapped to, focusing her eyes on the situation in front of her.

"Hey, Sorry Button Mash…" Scootaloo offered.

Apple Bloom nodded, "Yeah, we didn't mean noth…"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Sweetie Belle shrieked as she dashed over and positioned herself in-between the two fillies and Button Mash. She glared out angrily at her friends as she breathed in and out deeply.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo flashed each other concerned looks then looked back at Sweetie Belle.

"We didn't mean to hurt his feelings!" Apple Bloom insisted. "Honest!"

"Yeah, we were just teasing him a little…" Scootaloo said. "We said we were sorry…"

Sweetie Belle paused. _Well… Button cries more than any pony I know… even my sister…_

"_Sniff… _It's okay Sweetie Belle… I forgive them…" Button said as he wiped tears from his eyes.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Just like that?"

Button Mash nodded, "Sure, I mean…that's what friends do, right? They forgive each other when they know their friends didn't mean to hurt them."

Sweetie Belle's eye's widened and her lip quivered slightly as she silently looked at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and simply motioned out to Button Mash with her forehooves.

Apple Bloom grinned wide, "That's right, Button. That's exactly what friends do."

Scootaloo matched her friends grin, "You're the best point man ever… even if you're not exactly a man…"

Button beamed, "Really?!" He suddenly frowned once more, "But you guys still got hurt even after I went first all those times."

"Well…we _really _want our cutie marks bad..." Scootaloo said.

"And sometimes we don't always think things through…" Apple Bloom admitted.

"_Sometimes?_" Sweetie Belle asked, cocking an eye open.

"It's okay, girls! I'm having a lot of fun!" Button said.

The three fillies looked at each other in surprise and then turned back to Button. "_Really?_" they asked in unison.

"Yeah!" Button said, "I've never gotten to just hang out with other foals my age before."

Sweetie Belle whimpered slightly and once again motioned out to Button Mash with her forehooves.

"Ah think it's time for a Cutie Mark Crusaders group hug!" Apple Bloom declared.

"I second the motion!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"Thirded!" Sweetie Belle added.

Button Mash grinned wide as the three fillies trotted up to him. "Hurray! Acceptance!" he exclaimed.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS GROUP HUG, YA-_**OW!**_"

"_**GAH! ACCEPTANCE HURTS!**_" Button cried.

As quickly as they came together, the four parted and began rubbing their injured and stung bodies.

"_Maybe_ we should save the group hug until after we're all healed up…" Sweetie Belle suggested.

"Good idea…" Apple Bloom agreed.

"So, what's next?" Button asked.

"Actually, we were going to ask if Sweetie Belle had any ideas." Scootaloo said.

"_ME?_" Sweetie Belle said in a worried tone.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo put on grim expressions and nodded.

"Hurray, Sweetie Belle!" Button said.

Sweetie Belle gulped, "Well…I do have this _one_ idea…"

-ooooooo-

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS SEWER INSPECTORS, YAY!"

The three fillies quickly went to work, lodging a metal hook into a hole in a ponyhole cover and leveraging an attached metal bar. Button Mash quickly rushed over to help and the four foals grunted and strained against the bar. Soon, they successfully lifted the ponyhole and used their lifter to position it off to the side of the hole.

'_CLANK!'_

"_Pee-eww_!"Sweetie Belle exclaimed placing a forehoof over her noose.

"_Ulg_…" Button uttered, "what an incredible smell we've discovered."

"That smells worse than the inside of Big McIntosh's work collar after a day in the orchard." Apple Bloom commented.

Scootaloo's eye twitched. "Thanks Apple Bloom, I was running out of things to think about while I scream myself to sleep every night…"

"Alright gang," Sweetie Belle said, "apply clothespins." Sweetie Belle's horn glowed green as four clothespins hovered out of her white saddlebag and floated over to her friends.

The four foals carefully clipped their noses shut.

"Okay Crusaders," Sweetie Belle said enthusiastically, the clothespin adding a nasal inflection to her tone, "let's…" Sweetie Belle paused as a brown arm was held in front of her.

Sweetie Belle stared wide eyed at Button. "You can't be serious…"

"Fear not, team! Button Mash, Colt of Action will scout out this dungeon!" Button replied, his voice also a touch nasally.

The three fillies quickly looked at each other with worried expressions mirrored across their faces.

"Button, you don't need to do that!" Sweetie Belle insisted.

Apple Bloom nodded, "Yeah, you've done plenty already…"

"Seriously dude," Scootaloo said, "you've done a lot as it is. We're _not _going to ask you to go down there…"

"But…what if it's dangerous down there?" Button reasoned.

"All the more reason you should stay up here!" Apple Bloom replied.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded in agreement.

Button Mash shook his head. "No way! I was brought onto this mission as point man, and I'm going to finish it as _point_ man!"

"Button," Sweetie Belle began, "you really don't…"

"Shhhh…" Button placed a forehoof up to Sweetie Belle's lips. "Fear not, fair maiden. For as long as there are perils that you may walk into, I, Button Mash, will rush headlong to face them and keep you safe."

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened and her face flushed red as she merely nodded.

Button smiled. "For Pondor!" he cried, rushing towards the open hole.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo glanced over to Sweetie Belle.

"Did he jus' call you 'fair maiden'?" Apple Bloom asked.

Sweetie Belle nodded.

"I think somepony has a _cruuuuush~_!" Scootaloo sang out.

"I DO NOT!" Sweetie Belle shrieked.

Scootaloo scrunched up her brow, "I was talking about Button Mash."

"…Oh …" Sweetie Belle replied, her face turning a luminescent shade of red.

'_Clang, Clang…_'

The three fillies paused, listening as Button Mash slowly descended the ladder into the unknown darkness below.

"WHOA!"

'_Splash!'_

The three fillies cringed.

"OH GOSH! I LOST MY CLOTHESPIN! THE SMELL! IT'S ALL SLIMY AND IT _SMELLS!_ I…_BLECH_…_cough…cough…_IT'S IN MY MOUTH! _**IT'S IN MY MOUTH!**_ I THINK…I THINK I KNOW WHAT SADNESS TASTES LIKE NOW!"

Sweetie Belle's ears flopped down around the side of her head as she slowly lowered herself to the ground in a legs splayed, depressed heap.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo rushed over to the open ponyhole.

"Button? Are ya alright…?" Apple Bloom asked tentatively.

"Uh… I think I'll need to eat a whole roll of breath mints after this, but I'll live…" Button replied, "… I hope…"

"How's the sewer look?" Scootaloo asked.

"I don't know!" Button shouted back. "It's pitch black down here…I think…I think I'm likely to be eaten by a grue…" Button added with a touch of concern in his voice.

"Oh, right…" Scootaloo turned to her white unicorn friend, "Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle sighed as her horn glowed green once more, a flashlight emerged from her saddlebag and floated over to Scootaloo.

Scootaloo grabbed the flashlight out of the air and peered into blackness once more.

"Here Button Mash, catch!" Scootaloo called out as she dropped the Flashlight.

'_Bonk.'_

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo winced slightly.

"OUCH! Got it…let me just…"

'Click'

"AAAAAAAAAAAH! _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!_ **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!** _**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!**_"

Sweetie Belle suddenly shot to her feet and rushed over to the hole. "We have to help him!" she cried.

Scootaloo sighed, "I was afraid you were going to say that…"

"He'd do the same for any of us!" Sweetie Belle insisted.

"She's got us there," Apple Bloom said, motioning out to Sweetie Belle.

"NOW I KNOW WHAT SADNESS _**LOOKS**_ LIKE!" Button screamed.

"HOLD ON BUTTON!" Sweetie Belle shrieked into the hole. "We're coming!" she wasted no time lowering herself, back legs first, into the hole and climbing down the ladder.

'_Clang, Clang…_'

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom followed.

'_Clang, Clang…_'

"Whoops…" Apple Bloom uttered as her hoof slipped on a ladder rung. She slid.

"_Ooof_…" Scootaloo grunted as the Apple Bloom fell into her. She, likewise, lost her footing.

"EEK!" Sweetie Belle cried as her two friends crashed into her.

'_**Splash!**__'_

"AAAAAAAAH! NOW THE SEWER IS TRYING TO DROWN ME!" Button Mash shouted as he surfaced from the murky depths of the watery sewer.

"Wait! Button! It's just us!" Sweetie Belle assured.

"Oh…Hi, Sweetie Belle…"

"_**BLECH!**_" Apple Bloom exclaimed, "It _does _taste like sadness…"

"ELCH!" Scootaloo cried. "I CAN'T GET THE TASTE OUT OF MY MOUTH!"

"Uhhh…anypony seen the flashlight?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Erm… I think I dropped it," Button said sheepishly.

"Wait… I think I got it…" Scootaloo said as she lifted her forehooves out of the dregs. "Huh…kinda squishy for a flashlight…_AAAHHH_!" Scootaloo suddenly screamed and dropped the item in her hooves.

"Well, we can't inspect the sewer without _some_ sort of light source…" Apple Bloom said.

"Should I dive down and look for the flashlight?" Button asked.

"NO!" replied the three fillies.

"'Kay…"

"Wait…" Sweetie Belle said, "I bet I could use my magic to…" A green light emitted from Sweetie Belle's horn, slowly growing brighter and brighter. "There, that should…"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA__**IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE**_!"

The four foals erupted into a chorus of terrified screaming, panicked crying, frantic shrieking, and horrified yelling.

-ooooooo-

"I have seen things I cannot unsee…" Button uttered out in a low, guttural language as he stared off into the distance. He sat in a makeshift bath tub made out of half a wooden barrel. The foamy water slushed around him as Sweetie Belle ran a scrub brush back and forth over the almost catatonic colt's fur.

Sweetie Belle merely pursed her lips together and stared at Button with large, concerned eyes.

"Welp, we broke Button…" Scootaloo said, motioning out to the colt.

"He's not broken!" Sweetie Belle insisted shrilly, "He's just… uh…"

"Traumatized?" Scootaloo suggested.

Sweetie Belle sighed, "Yeah…"

Apple Bloom shook herself vigorously, spraying the area around her with water. "Poor guy! This was easily one of our top ten worst crusadin' days we've had this month!" She paused and thought for a second, "Hey, maybe we can talk him out of it!" she suggested.

"Yeah, we can like…psycho-analyze him, or something…" Scootaloo suggested.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other and grinned, "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS PSYCHOANALYSERS, YAY!"

Button Mash slowly lowered himself in his bath until he was completely submerged in water.

Sweetie Belle watched the colt with concerned, then looked up at her two friends. "I think Button has had enough crusading for one day…" she said.

"Well, can't really blame him there…"Apple Bloom said.

Sweetie Belle sighed, "I just wish we did at least _one_ thing that was fun and didn't end in either pain or horrible mental suffering…"

"Uh, Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo said.

"Yeah, Scootaloo?"

"How long can Button hold his breath for?"

"How would…" Sweetie Belle turned back to the barrel as concerned eyes opened wide and stared into the soapy water. She leaned forward and thrust her forearms into the water, then fished out the brown colt.

Button coughed and sputtered.

"Uh… hey… Button Mash…" Sweetie Belle said tentatively.

"_Cough…cough…_ Yeah, Sweetie Belle?"

"I'm _really_ sorry about pretty much everything that's happened to you today…"

"Oh, that's alright Sweetie Belle, I had fun." Button replied.

"_**Really?**_" Sweetie Belle the slightest hints of hope entering into her voice.

"…No." Button admitted.

Sweetie Belle whimpered quietly in reply.

"Uh… " Button Mash looked up at the sky. The sun touched the horizon as Celestia slowly put away the heavenly body for the night. "…Hey, I better get going, my mom will start to worry if I'm out too late."

Sweetie Belle nodded, "Sure, Button…"

Button hopped out of the barrel and shook himself, water flew in all directions off his fur, mane, and tail. He turned towards a tree, his beanie and saddlebags were leaned neatly against it.

Sweetie Belle followed Button with her eyes, a melancholy expression plastered on her face.

"Ah, man… we are the _worst_ friends ever…" Scootaloo uttered.

"I jus' wish there was something we could do!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

Sweetie Belle's eyes suddenly shot open. "I have an idea!" she cried.

"Uh-oh…" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said in unison.

Sweetie Belle quickly scanned the orchard and spotted a tree with a large, natural hole in the center of its trunk. She sprinted for it, thrust a forehoof into the hole, and began rummaging her hoof around in it.

"Come on…come on…YES!" Sweetie Belle cried triumphantly as she fished a pink ball with a blue stripe going around it. She turned towards the brown colt. "Hey, Button!" she called out.

Button paused as he reached the tree and turned towards Sweetie Belle.

"Catch!" Sweetie Belle said as she tossed the rubber ball at Button.

Button instinctively reached out his forehooves and caught the ball in his arms. He looked down at it, then looked back up at Sweetie Belle and smiled. "Go long!" he cried as he raised the ball in a forehoof.

Sweetie Belle giggled and began putting more distance between herself and the colt.

Button Mash tossed the ball at Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle paused, then dove to her side, catching the ball before she hit the ground and slid.

"Nice one!" Button shouted out.

Sweetie Belle raised to her hooves and giggled to herself as she held the ball under one of her forehooves.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo quickly grinned at each other.

"Throw it to me! _Throw it to me!_" Scootaloo cried excitedly.

Sweetie Belle turned to the orange pegasus and sent the ball sailing Scootaloo-ward.

Scootaloo leaped into the air, rapidly flapping her wings as she caught the ball and landed back on her hooves.

"Scootaloo! Over here!" Apple Bloom called out, having ran a bit from her former position.

Scootaloo grinned and tossed the ball over to the yellow pony.

Apple Bloom stood up on her back legs and caught the ball in her arms.

"Me next! Me next!" Button Mash said excitedly.

Apple Bloom threw the ball to the brown colt.

The four foals continued to throw the ball back and forth between them. They caught it sometimes, missed it others, but smiled and laughed the entire time.

-ooooooo-

Love Tap stared outside the kitchen window and pursed her lips as hints of concern began to slowly creep into her features. Celestia had lowered the sun out of view and her sister had begun to raise the moon.

_Oh, he knows I don't like when he's out this late… Don't tell me he's still playing that Joy Boy of his…_ Love Tap thought. _Maybe I should go out and look for him, it's starting to get really dark out and…_

"_**MoOoOoOoOoOM! I'm home!**_"

Love Tap breathed a sigh of relief and trotted out into the hall. "Button, you shouldn't stay out so late, you had me-OH MY GOSH BUTTON! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!"

Love Tap looked her son up and down. His skin was puffy and swollen, there were purple patches of some sort of stain spread across his fur, his mane was a mess, and on top of everything else, he had mud and dust smeared all over him.

"Oh," Button replied with a smile, "well, first I met up with Sweetie Belle and her friends and then we went base jumping…"

-Love Tap's eyes shot open wide as she knitted her brow together-

"…and then we all ended up in a thorn-berry bush. So, because that didn't work, we went bungee jumping…"

-One of Love Tap's eyes began to twitch-

"… but that turned out to be ridiculously terrifying, so we tried beekeeping instead…"

-Love Tap gritted her teeth-

"…but we got stung like…a million times and had to try something else, so then Sweetie Belle suggested we go sewer inspecting…"

-Love Tap's face flushed red as her lips twisted and contorted her mouth into a rageful grimace-

"… and then we all needed a bath after that, and I was gonna come home, but then Sweetie Belle started playing catch with me and then we were all playing catch, but it was getting dark and Sweetie Belle insisted she walk me home."

Button stepped aside revealing a petrified Sweetie Belle who stared up at Love Tap with wide, scared eyes, the unicorns pupils the size of pinpricks.

Love Tap looked Sweetie Belle up and down. The white unicorn sported the same bumps, stains, and messy appearance of her son.

Sweetie Belle gulped as she gazed into Love Tap's angry eyes. _That's it, I'm dead… _She thought to herself. _There's no way Button's Mom is going to let me go after hearing all that… and I never even got my cutie mark…_

Love Tap paused, taking note of Sweetie Belle's absolutely terrified expression.

"_Heh…pffft…heheheheHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…!_" Love Tap erupted into a fit of laughter.

_Oh no!_ Sweetie Belle thought to herself. _She's already thinking what she's going to do to me and laughing manically._

"What's so funny, mom?" Button Mash asked

"_Hehehehehe_…" Love Tap slowly gained control over her laughter, "…Sorry, I just remembered all the trouble I'd used to get your father in when I was the same age as you two…_hehehe_…" She turned to Sweetie Belle, "Come in Sweetie Belle, it's okay… I won't bite." The tan mare said with a grin.

Sweetie Belle breathed a sigh of relief and walked into the house. "You really got Button Mash's dad in trouble when you were my age?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Oh, all the time!" Love Tap said rolling her eyes. "Though…I think I spaced things out a bit more than you…" she admitted.

Sweetie Belle blushed and grinned sheepishly.

"Why don't you two go up and play some video games?" Love Tap suggested. "I'll quickly go out tell your sister you're staying for dinner. Besides, she'll have a conniption if she sees you like that."

Sweetie Belle smiled. "Thank you!"

"Yay!" Button Mash cried. "Come on Sweetie Belle! I still have lots and _lots_ of video games to show you."

The two foals immediately galloped for the stairs, excitedly rushing towards Button's bedroom.

Love Tap shook her head and giggled to herself, as she watched her son and his best friend disappear into the house.

-ooooo-

"No, Sweetie Belle… watch out for the saws, the _saws_…"

The display's speakers erupted into a number of low, menacing tones.

'_Doom, doom, doom, doom…_'

"Awww…I died again…" Sweetie Belle moaned.

"Oh, that's okay…" Button said with a smile. "I'm still having fun."

"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked hopefully.

Button Mash nodded, "Yep!"

"Good," Sweetie Belle said, "I'm having fun, too…uh hey, Button Mash?"

"Yeah, Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle nervously looked around the room. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she leaned in close to the brown colt. She pursed her lips and placed a small peck on Button's cheek. "Thanks for trying to protect me…"

Button's eyes shot open wide before rolling back into his head. "_Uwhawawawa…_" he uttered as he collapsed backwards, staring up at the ceiling with a distant, glazed expression.

"Button?!" Sweetie Belle cried as she frantically nudged the colt. "Should I not have done that?!

Oblivious to the world around him, Button simply continued to stare up at the ceiling. His lips began to retreat to the sides of his mouth and pull up in a big, wide smile. _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if mom makes me marry Sweetie Belle…_

"Button!" Sweetie Belle continued to call out in a panicked tone. "What did I do?! _**WHAT DID I DO?!**_"


	6. Chapter 6

The SweetieMash Chronicles

Chapter 6: Seeing Red

-oooooooo-

Once again, Button Mash exited the red schoolhouse into a bright, warm, Ponyville day. His propeller beanie spun rapidly in the breezeless afternoon. He trotted down the familiar steps, his saddlebags jumping up and down slightly as he ascended unto the worn path leading from the school.

"Gee, it sure is _boring_ around here," he announced as he stretched his arms to the sky and rolled his eyes. He returned to standing on all fours and looked about as if expecting a response.

"Hey…_psst_…" Button said, leaning over towards a plump, grey colt with tussled dark brown hair, and a fork and knife cutie mark.

"Uh, yeah?" the colt replied.

"Could you say, 'My boi, this peace is what all true warriors strive for'?" Button asked.

"Oh… _uh_… alright… My boy, this peace…"

"No, you need to _really_ pronounce the '_oi_' in _boi_," Button Mash insisted.

"Erm…My b_oi_," the grey colt began again, "this peace is what…" He paused, "Line?"

"…all true warriors strive for," Button Mash informed.

"…all true warriors strive for," the colt finished.

Button gave a smile and a satisfied nod. "I wonder what Sweetie Belle is up to!" he said. Button stood patiently and scanned the horizon.

"…Am I supposed to say something here?" the grey colt asked.

"No, a wizard on a flying carpet is supposed to show up," Button replied.

"Uh…why would a wizard on a flying carpet show up?"

"Because Sweetie Belle and her minions have seized the island of Horsodai."

"…Why would Sweetie Belle do that? Does she even have minions?"

Button scrunched his brow together and thought about this, tapping a forehoof against his chin. "Huh…I guess she probably _didn't_ seize the island of Horsodai. Oh well, guess it's my heroic duty to go look for her!" Button declared enthusiastically. He turned to the grey colt and nodded, "Thanks, you've been a big help."

"Uh…sure," the colt replied with a perplexed look as Button happily continued on his way.

Button sauntered down the path, and once again began scanning his surroundings for Sweetie Belle. He grinned wide as he spied the white filly and her two friends chatting enthusiastically with each other next to a house.

A happy grin on his face, the brown colt approached the group. _Target Acquired… Stay on target… Stay on target…_

"Hey girls, what's…"

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MEDICAL WASTE DISPOSERS, YAY!"

Button's eyes shot open wide. _Abort! Abort!_

The three fillies raised their forehooves high together and quickly lowered them back to the ground.

"Alright girls," Scootaloo said, "let's head out to the hospital and each grab an armful of medical waste."

"Ya know… this doesn't exactly sound very hygienic… or safe…" Applebloom said.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, "We'll be wearing rubber socks, d'uh."

"Oh… right!" Applebloom replied, satisfied.

"Hey, did either of you hear Button Mash just now?" Sweetie Belle asked as her ear twitched and she scanned the area.

Scootaloo and Applebloom exchanged grins and looked back at Sweetie Belle.

"Sweetie Belle, you've got that colt on the brain," Scootaloo said with wide grin.

The white unicorn crinkled her brow at the orange pegasus. "I do not!" she insisted squeakily.

"It's no big deal," Applebloom said. "Ah mean, we like Button, too…"

"Well, not as much as Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo corrected.

"Well, of course not!" Applebloom agreed.

"I don't like him!" Sweetie Belle insisted.

From around the corner of a building, a set of brown ears perked up, the conversation suddenly rather relevant to the listener's interest.

"…I mean… " Sweetie Belle continued, "I _do_ like him, but… I don't like, _like_ him…"

Applebloom and Scootaloo exchanged glances once more and looked back at Sweetie Belle.

"Come on, you at least, like, _like_ him," Scootaloo insisted, "whenever we try to do something not Cutie Mark Crusader related you try to see if he can come along."

"Yeah, and yer always going over to visit and play those video games of his," Applebloom added.

"Well… " Sweetie Belle trailed off and glanced to her side, "we _are_ really good friends…" she insisted as redness began to seep into her cheeks like drops of red food coloring added to two glasses of milk.

"No, Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo said, "us three, _**we're**_ really good friends."

Applebloom nodded her head up in down in agreement.

Scootaloo pointed an orange hoof at the Sweetie Belle, "You and Button Mash are at _least_ a level above that."

"Now if ya said you didn't like, _like_, **like** him, that'd be a whole 'nother story." Applebloom said.

Scootaloo turned towards Applebloom, "Now _that_ I wouldn't have questioned." She returned her attention to Sweetie Belle, "You gotta be more honest with yourself, I mean, it's pretty obvious Button Mash like, _likes_ you…"

Sweetie Belle stopped pretending there was something interesting to behind and to the left of her and looked back at her friends. "Do you… do you really think so?" she asked, her cheeks now a nearly luminescent shade of red.

Applebloom and Scootaloo pursed their lips and scrunched their brows slightly.

"Yer serious?" Applebloom asked.

Scootaloo sighed, "She's serious…"

"Sweetie Belle, Button goes out lookin' fer you almost _everyday_ after school!" Applebloom said.

"Yeah, and he invites you over to play games with him on the weekends!" Scootaloo added.

From his hiding spot, Button paused and thought about the fillies words. _Wait…That means I like, __**like**__ Sweetie Belle? Because I like to hang out with her? I mean… okay… I do try to see her everyday and see if mom will let me have her over for dinner…_

"Well…I mean…" Sweetie Belle began, "he invites you two, as well…"

"Yeah, if we're _there_," Scootaloo pointed out. "He doesn't go _looking_ for us!"

Button Mash continued his thinking. _…and I guess_ _I really like playing video games with her. But that's just because she's getting good and I get this warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I look over at her and see her concentrating as she stares at the screen…and…_

Button's eyes suddenly went wide and his pupils expanded into the newfound space. _…oh…_

"Uh…_erm_…" Sweetie Belle searched for something else to say as her brain tried desperately to sort out Buttons potential feelings for her as well as her own for him, "well… his mom likes having me over, and…"

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and sighed, "Alright, have it your way, _live_ in your palace made out of lies. Just remember that lies don't stack."

"They don't?" Sweetie Belle replied.

Scootaloo shook her head. "No, lies are all…misshapen… and like…_bulgy_ and stuff…" she explained as she held her forehooves up and attempted to mime odd shapes using them.

Button Mash continued to sit around the corner from the three fillies, contemplating his newly discovered feelings. _I guess… I guess I just go up to her and tell her how I feel? I mean, Scootaloo and Applebloom seem to think she like, __**likes**__ me, and they're pretty on the ball._

"Wait… so lies are like… round?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"No, they're more like a bulbousy, oblong shape," Scootaloo explained.

Button nodded to himself satisfactorily and smiled. _Alright, I'm going to walk right up there and tell Sweetie Belle how I feel. _

"Uh, girls?" Applebloom said. "Ah think we're losing focus."

Button Mash turned, and trotted out from around the house.

"You're right," Scootaloo said, "That medical waste isn't going to gather _itself_ up."

The three turned at the sound of soft rustling and looked out into open space near the corner of the house.

Button pushed his saddlebag clad back against the house and held his breath as his nervous eyes peered towards the home's corner. He began to slowly slide his body away from the three fillies. _Alright Button, you can do this, you're __**just**__ like Solid Snake… you know… except he's part snake._

"Huh, thought Ah heard somethin'…" Applebloom muttered.

"I thought I _saw_ something…" Sweetie Belle said. "Something…brown?"

"Oh my GOSH, Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she threw her forehooves towards Sweetie Belle. "Just tell Button how you feel after we're done crusading. I'm _sure_ there'll be enough time tonight to get in some video games and smooching!"

"I'm _not_ going to smooch Button Mash!" Sweetie Belle shrieked. Redness suddenly returned to her face as she sheepishly stared at the ground, "You know…unless he smooches me first…"

Applebloom started giggling, a small rolling laughter that quickly increased in volume.

Scootaloo looked at her white unicorn friend and smirked, "And we just hit like, _like_, **like**!"

Having successfully shimmied his body to the other end of the house, Button dropped to all fours and trotted away. _I guess I can tell Sweetie Belle how I feel when they're done crusading… I mean… assuming she doesn't need to be quarantined or anything like that…_

Button paused, and stared out into open space, completely lost in thought. _Wait… what if she gets infected with something serious?! What if she turns into a __**zombie**__!?_

Button's ears flopped down and his eyes began to fill up with tears, "_Sniff…_"_ I'm not… I'm not sure I can a take out Sweetie Belle! Even if she __**was**__ a zombie…_

Button suddenly held his head up high and stared out resolutely. _No! I won't let that happen! I'll stop Sweetie Belle from becoming a zombie and keep her safe from any undead that cross our path! _

Button turned and broke into a gallop, "Hang on, Sweetie Belle! I'll save yo-_OOF_!"

"_Eek!_"

"_OW!_"

Button Mash's attempt at heroics was caught short as the oblivious colt ran headlong into two, young earth ponies. One was pink with wavy-purple hair that had a white stripe through it, the other was dark grey with lighter grey hair tied up in a braid.

"Watch it, geek!" Diamond Tiara hissed as she picked herself off the ground, dusting dirt off her pink fur.

"Uhg, that idiot knocked off my glasses!" Silver Spoon said as she, too, rose to her hooves and dusted herself off.

"Ooops… Sorry," Button said. He peered out in front of him and noticed a pair of blue framed glasses. He leaned forward and lightly gripped one of the tips with his teeth, stood up, and offered the pair to Silver Spoon.

Silver Spoon shot a glare at the brown colt and snatched the glasses in her forehooves. "Thanks duffus, now they have your spit on them," she said as she rubbed the tip of her glasses against her forearm.

Button puffed his lower lip out, "I'm _really_ sorry…"

Diamond Tiara adjusted her tiara, lowered her eyelids slightly, and focused her eyes on Button's beanie, "What the heck is up with that dorky hat?"

Silver Spoon put her glasses on and joined her friend in squinting at the hat, "Yeah… how the heck is that thing spinning?"

Button glanced up at his hat. "Oh this? Yeah, I don't know how it does that…" he admitted.

"I meant, 'why is it so lame?'" Diamond Tiara said.

Silver Spoon tittered, "It is pretty goofy looking. I can't believe anypony would be dumb enough to think that looked good."

Button's bottom lip began to quiver.

"Hey! I know this kid," Diamond Tiara stated, "he's that weird colt that's always playing those beeping things and hangs out with the blank flanks."

"Oh yeah…" Silver Spoon said. She craned her neck and looked at Button's side, "No wonder, he's a blank flank, too."

Button's eyes began to dart back and forth between the two fillies as his eyes filled with water.

"I'm surprised he's not with them now," Silver Spoon mused.

Diamond Tiara narrowed her eyes at Button and grinned wickedly, "Maybe they got sick of him, and told him to buzz off. I mean, you can hardly blame them…"

"No…_sniff_…" Button said weakly as he fought back tears, "they're all my friends…" _They like me, right?_ _I mean, they invite me to play with them…_

"Wow, a blank flank that isn't even good enough for the rest of those blank flanks," Silver Spoon said her smile suddenly mirroring her friends, "I think we found a new level of pathetic here."

"What are you, their charity case?" Diamond Tiara asked as she cocked her head to the side and widened her grin. "Do those three think they'll get pity cutie marks if they let you hang around with you long enough?"

"But… but _Sweetie Belle_…" _They're not just hanging out with me because they feel sorry for me! Right? RIGHT?!_ "_eh_…_ehh …ehh heeeHuaaaaHuaaaa…_"

His fashion attacked, his friendships called into question, Button began to cry and wail as tears streamed down his face.

"Oh my gosh!" Diamond Tiara said as she held a forehoof up to her mouth and glanced at Silver Spoon. "He's actually crying!"

"What a loser, oh my gosh!" Silver Spoon said.

The two fillies looked at each other and exchanged malevolent grins.

"Blank flank! Blank flank! Blank flank!" They chanted, tormenting the brown colt as Button continued to cry.

Sweetie Belle's eyes shot open wide as her ears stood straight up.

"Uh oh…do you two hear that?" Scootaloo asked.

"Ah'd know that tortured sobbin' anywhere, that's Button Mash," Applebloom said.

The three fillies turned and looked down the path they had begun to trot down on the way to the hospital and spotted the crying colt and his two tormentors.

"Looks like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon found themselves another victim," Scootaloo said.

"We have to help him!" Applebloom exclaimed. "We can't jus' leave him to be bullied by them."

"Well, d'uh!" Scootaloo replied. "Right, Sweetie Belle…? Sweetie Belle?"

If Sweetie Belle heard her friend, she made no sign that she did. _Too far… Too far…_ She stared out at the scene in front of her, her eyelids slowly drifting downwards as her emerald eyes darted from the two bulling fillies, then to the bawling brown colt, then back to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The left side of her lips pulled up to reveal teeth clenched as hard as the young filly could manage. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks framed by her angry eyelids as she focused a glare of red hot rage on her targets.

_It's __**ON**__ now!_

The white unicorn let out a high pitched, blood curdling shriek, leaned her head down, and charged down the path.


	7. Chapter 7

The SweetieMash Chronicles

Chapter 7: Seeing Green

-oooooooo-

Sweetie Belle focused her complete attention on the group of foals in front of her. She felt the ground as her hooves touched the worn dirt path and bounced off it again and again. She could hear the blood rushing past her ears and a loud, high pitched scream. Even these few details began to fade from her awareness as she closed the distance between her and the fillies in front of her.

"_Blank flank! Blank Flank! Blank…_"

"… _aaaaaaaeeeeeeee_…"

Silver Spoon's ears perked up at the sound of a screech that was quickly getting louder in volume.

Seemingly oblivious, Diamond Tiara continued her taunting of the crying, young colt. "_Blank flank! Blank Flank!_"

"…_aaaaAAAAAAAAAAAA__**AAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE**_!"

Silver Spoon turned as the screaming got closer. Her vision was soon filled by a bright green glow from the angry, white unicorn that was rapidly approaching. Silver Spoon's light purple eyes widened behind her glasses as she realized Sweetie Belle was on a collision course for her and her friend.

She began to frantically nudge the pink earth pony next to her.

"_Blank-OW! _What?!" Diamond Tiara asked. She quickly ascertained what her friend was drawing her attention to and managed to utter a quick, "Oh…" before Sweetie Belle slammed into Silver Spoon who, in turn, fell into Diamond Tiara.

Silver Spoon's vision blurred partially from the impact, and partially because here glasses went flying off her face.

Diamond Tiara's saw stars briefly as the world turned sideways.

Slowly, the two fillies regained their senses as a green glow began to completely envelop the area around them and a high pitched, ominous buzzing sound filled their ears.

Silver Spoon looked up and gulped. Blurred or not, she could see well enough to tell she was staring into a face that was currently regarding her and her friend with absolute contempt. "Uh… Diamond Tiara?" she called out meekly, "somehow I don't think that colt is a charity case anymore…"

Diamond Tiara swallowed as she glanced over her friend and looked into Sweetie Belle's rage filled eyes, "Ye…yeah…" she stammered out. The two fillies on the ground pulled their forelegs up to their chest and looked fearfully up at the white unicorn.

Sweetie Belle said nothing, making a small mental note that the screaming had stopped and that it was likely coming from her in the first place. Memories of her and her friends being bullied by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon surfaced, fueling the feelings of anger that was already bubbling and boiling insider her. The light from her horn surged in intensity as the buzzing continued to increase in volume and tone.

The two closed their eyes as the buzz emanating from Sweetie Belle's horn crescendoed into a fevered pitch.

"_**SWEETIE BELLE!**_"

Sweetie Belle's eyes shot open wide as Cheerilee called out to the young filly. As angry as she was, the sounds of an authority figure calling out in an alarmed, chastising tone was enough to get her to stop dead in her tracks. Her angry expression quickly evaporated and she turned to face Cheerilee with a panicked, guilty look.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"_**What is going on, here?!**_" Cheerilee demanded.

Still lying on their backs on the ground, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon exchanged wicked grins as they realized the sudden shift in power. Diamond Tiara put on her best hurt and scared expression. "Ma… Ms. Cheerilee, we were just…"

"BULLIES… YELL… BLANK FLANK… SWEETIE BELLE… SAVE ME…!" Button cried as he flailed his forehooves about in front of him.

Cheerilee turned and stared at the brown colt as she attempted to decipher the string of words he had uttered.

"Bu…but Ms. Cheerilee…" Diamond Tiara said as she attempted to gain her teachers attention.

"SCREAM… MAGIC… GREEN…. GLOWING…"

"Button Mash! Slow down!" Cheerilee asked of the young brown colt as she held up her forehoves.

Silver Spoon rose to her hooves and squinted out into her grassy surroundings, she picked out a light blue blur in the sea of green and trotted over. She reached down with her hooves and placed her glasses onto her face. She turned to the magenta pony as Cheerilee continued her attempt to calm Button Mash down. Silver Spoon put on her best, sad puppy dog look, trotted over to Cheerilee, and…

"These two were bullyin' Button Mash!" Apple Bloom cried as she and Scootaloo ran up to the group of ponies.

"Was not!" Diamond Tiara cried defensively.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, "Do you hear that? The _lying_ machine just turned on."

"Apple Bloom? Scootaloo? What…" Cheerilee began.

The strategy of playing the victim forgotten, Silver Spoon mustered her wits about her and quickly formulated a retort, "We were not!"

"Were too!" Apple Bloom replied.

"If you two wore pants they'd _totally_ be on fire right now!" Scootaloo chimed in.

"We _weren't_ bullying him!" Diamond Tiara insisted.

"You hear that, Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo said. "Apparently there's a new definition for bullying that somehow doesn't include teasing someone until they start crying."

Apple Bloom snickered.

"What?! Crying…" Cheerilee exclaimed, "Button is this…"

"… FRIENDS… DANGER…"

Cheerilee sighed and raised a forehoof to her face.

"We weren't bullying him!" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon said in unison in a somewhat desperate tone.

"Were too!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shot back.

"… HOSPITAL… MEDICAL WASTE…"

"Were not!"

"Were too!"

Cheerilee eye's darted back and forth between the two pair of arguing fillies and Button Mash. Her face began to scrunch up in frustration as she attempted to ascertain exactly what had transpired.

Sweetie Belle merely stood in place, her face a deep shade of red as her looked over the quarreling foals, confused school teacher, and babbling colt.

"… QUARANTINE… INFECTION…"

"Were not!"

"Were too!"

"… **ZOMBIES**… _**APOCALYPSE!**_" Button Screamed has he places his forehoofs to either side of his head.

"_**ENOUGH!**_" Cheerilee shouted.

The foals all went quiet.

"Alright, all of you to the schoolhouse. I'll sort this out there," Cheerilee said as she pointed out with a forehoof towards the red building.

Diamond Tiara tried to protest, "But, Sweetie Belle…"

"GO!" Cheerilee commanded sternly.

The foals all sighed out a chorus of, "Yes, ma'am," as they hung their heads walked towards the schoolhouse, the magenta mare right behind them.

Sweetie Belle kept her eyes pointed at the ground as felt a deep pit open in her stomach. _Defending Button Mash, or not, there's no __**way**__ Cheerilee is going to let me off for attacking Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. She'll probably tell my parents… or Rarity… _Sweetie Belle felt water well up behind her eyes as she attempted to choke back sobs.

"Hey…"

Sweetie Belle felt somepony gently nuzzle the side of her face as she trudged onward.

She looked up into the smiling face of Button Mash. His warm, amber eyes locked onto her glassy emerald ones.

"Thanks for being my hero," Button Mash said.

Sweetie Belle smiled meekly and nodded as her cheeks flushed a luminescent shade of vermilion.

_Worth it!_


	8. Chapter 8

The SweetieMash Chronicles

Chapter 8: Mrs. Wolf

* * *

"'Tain't fair… it jus' 'tain't…" Apple Bloom declared as she walked down the school steps.

"Well… At least Ms. Cheerilee is giving those two a lecture about bullying…" Scootaloo said in disappointed tone with a look to match. "Maybe it'll cause those two to _miraculously_ change their ways…" she added sarcastically.

Apple Bloom sighed, "Like that'll happen…"

Button Mash wordlessly followed the two fillies as they trudged off towards nowhere in particular. He kept his eyes fixed on the ground as he let his mind soak in the recent events of Sweetie Belle coming to his rescue, only to end up in trouble for her intervention.

"_No_, really," Scootaloo continued in a sardonic tone, "maybe Ms. Cheerilee's lectures have '_magical'"—_Scootaloo rolled her eyes_—"_ behavior changing properties that will cause Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to change their ways and they'll _never _bully another pony again."

"We get it, Scootaloo…" Apple Bloom said.

Scootaloo stopped and raised her forehoofs up over her head, shaking them about slightly as she tossed a glance at the sky, "And then they'll just devote _all_ their time to helping the needy and taking care of baby animals that can't take care of themselves, all the while spreading magical fairy dust that makes everypony around them happy…"

"**Alright Scootaloo, **enou… Wait…" Apple Bloom stopped in place and turned to her friend, "…what was that last thing ya said? It actually sounded like a good idea for crusadin'…"

"Uh…spreading magical fairy dust that makes everypony around them happy?" Scootaloo suggested.

"Ah meant before that!" Apple Bloom stated.

"Oh! Uh… helping the needy and taking care of baby…"

"THIS INJUSTICE WILL NOT STAND!" Button suddenly declared.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo paused and turned towards the brown colt. Button stared back at them with a look of determination on his face.

"We're upset, too," Apple Bloom said, "but what can we do?"

Scootaloo nodded, "Yeah, I mean… deserved it or not, I don't think Ms. Cheerilee will overlook that Sweetie Belle looked ready to vaporize those two…" She sighed, "Ms. Cheerilee just _had_ to stop Sweetie Belle before it got good…"

"We can't just leave Sweetie Belle to suffer because she stood up for what's right!" Button said dramatically.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other briefly, then turned back to Button Mash.

"Well, what did you have in mind?" Scootaloo asked.

Button Mash narrowed his eyes lightly and glanced to the side, "We need a plan to get her out."

"Uh…" Apple Bloom began, "Isn't that _kinda_… against tha rules?"

Button scowled off into space and tilted his head down slightly. His beanie hat cast a dark shadow over his features, "If the rules are going to side with criminals and see good ponies imprisoned, then we need to take justice into our own hooves."

"…Welp, Button's officially gone off the deep end," Scootaloo declared.

"Button," Apple Bloom began, "we're all upset, but maybe ya should calm down and…"

"We should _totally_ bust Sweetie Belle out," Scootaloo interrupted.

Button Mash looked up at the orange pegasus and grinned.

"WHAT?!" Apple Bloom cried. She motioned to Button Mash with a forehoof, "But you said he was talkin' crazy!"

Scootaloo nodded, "He is, but it's _my_ kind of crazy!"

Apple Bloom looked at her friend and then at the brown colt, "I don't know… we can get an _awful _lot of trouble…"

"Yeah, but we might also get our cutie marks in daring rescue or jail break, I mean… we know Sweetie Belle is_actually_ being held this time around…"

Apple Bloom paused briefly and thought about this. "Alright… I'm in," she said with a smile.

Button Mash grinned wide, "Alright…" his smile suddenly dropped. "Uh… do we have a plan?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo went quiet as they both put on contemplative expressions.

Scootaloo was the first to speak up, "…Blow open a hole in the side of the school with fireworks."

"Love it," Button Mash replied.

"Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said in a chastising tone, "that sounds criminally irresponsible! Even for us…"

"Well, _you_ suggest something then!" Scootaloo replied.

"Uh… we could… we could tunnel under the school and make a hole for Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom suggested.

"That could work," Button chimed in.

Scootaloo shook her head, "Remember the when we tried being Cutie Mark Crusader gem miners?"

* * *

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER'S GEM MINERS, YAY!"

The three fillies retracted their forehooves and switched on the lights attached to their yellow hardhats. They stood in front of a deep, dark mineshaft as long neglected rusted rails and splintered tracks led into it.

Apple Bloom peered into the shaft, allowing her light to reveal the rough stone walls covered by graffiti and splintering wooden support beams that lined the side. "I don't know girls… it doesn't exactly look safe down there…"

"You worry too much, Apple Bloom," Scootaloo replied.

"Yeah, Rarity just said the mine was closed because it was offended," Sweetie Belle said.

Apple Bloom cocked an eye at Sweetie Belle, "That don't make a lick of sense, are ya sure she didn't say 'offensive'?"

"Ooooh, yeah… that makes a lot more sense," Sweetie Belle replied.

Scootaloo inspected some of the nearby graffiti, "That seems to fit," she squinted at words, "some of this looks pretty bad…"

Apple Bloom approached and examined collection of limericks and foul language, "Wow, the ponies who wrote all this stuff really like buckin', maybe we should see if we can find some who'd like to buck with Big McIntosh and Applejack."

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle exchanged a quick glance and attempted to stifle their giggles before the two fillies erupted into hysterical fits of laughter that sent both to the ground.

"**_AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_**"

"What?" Apple Bloom protested. "It sounds like a good idea to me…"

"Apple…_hehehe_…Apple Bloom…" Scootaloo stammered out as she attempted to reign in her laughter, "let's just…let's just go into the mine…"

Apple Bloom gave her friends a confused glance, "Oh… alright then…"

Sweetie Belle giggled as she raised herself back to her hooves and nodded. "Maybe we'll find some diamonds!" she said excitedly.

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at the white unicorn, "What is it with you and diamonds?"

Sweetie Belle grinned, "Rarity found a few and showed them to me! They're super rare and super sparkly!"

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, "Whatever… let's go…"

The trio picked up a number of digging tools off the ground. Sweetie Belle lifted up a pickaxe with her mouth, Scootaloo did the same with a shovel, and Apple Bloom raised a sledgehammer. The three trotted into the mine without a second thought as the flashlights attached to their helmets lit the way.

The fillies trotted deeper and deeper into the mine, the graffiti became less frequent as the light from the tunnel became a small dot and their flashlights provided the only source of illumination. The fillies turned a corner and soon found themselves facing a wall of jagged, loose stones.

The three dropped their tools as they examined the wall.

Sweetie Belle smiled, "This looks like the perfect place to start mining for some diamonds!"

Apple Bloom examined the wall carefully, "Huh… looks like some pony left before they were finished here… I wonder what made them leave…"

"Someone probably wrote something rude about their mom near the front," Scootaloo suggested.

Sweetie Belle nodded, "There were an _awful_ lot of accusations directed at ponies' moms out front." She smiled as a green glow enveloped her pickaxe and it floated up, "Well, let's get started…" She used her magic to swing the pickaxe forward at one of rocks that jutted out from the wall in front of the fillies. It fell out of the wall and tumbled to the ground, soon followed by another, and another.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders took several steps back as a large volume of rocks all began to cascade from the wall in front of them and a low, rumbling sound emanated from the mine as everything around them began to shake.

"Sweetie Belle! What did you _doooo_?!" Apple Bloom cried.

"I barely touched it!" Sweetie Belle squeaked out.

"RUN!" Scootaloo cried.

The three fillies bolted back for the main shaft as the section they just fled from collapsed behind them. They bee-lined for the exit as the already strained wooden supports began to crack and splinter further, bending in towards the tunnel as the pressure from the rocks around them increased.

The three all shrieked out terrified screams as beams began to break and solid ground filled the open air of the mineshaft. They sprinted for the exit as swiftly as their little legs would take them. The walls and ceilings began to collapse around the girls, throwing rocks and dust out as the trio raced a wave of solid stone that was quickly gaining on them.

The three felt warm rays of sunshine beam down on them as they narrowly made it outside the mine. The front of the shaft collapsed inward and a pile of loose rocks and rubble jutted out from the former entrance as if the mine was making one last attempt to entomb the fillies.

Shaking and breathing heavily, the three foals all looked at each other and nodded their dust covered heads as if confirming that they had all, in fact, survived the dangerous collapse of the mine.

Sweetie Belle sighed and shook her head, "I need a safer method to mine for diamonds."

* * *

Apple Bloom shuddered, "Oh, right… at least we figured out that Rarity had said '_condemned_'."

"Hmmm…" Button hummed loudly as he rubbed a forehoof against his chin, "I know! We should ask my mom."

"Uh… ya really think she'd help us?" Apple Bloom asked, a bit skeptical that an adult would lend a hoof to breaking a foal out of detention.

Button Mash nodded, "Mom always knows what to do in these situations!"

"She does _really_ like Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo pointed out, "also… she's _terrifying_ when she's angry. She might actually lend us a hoof."

"Well, I guess she could _at least_ add some adult responsibility to everything…" Apple Bloom mused, "maybe keep us from getting inta too much trouble…"

Button Mash smiled, "Then it's settled! **_AWAY!_**" the colt shouted as a he broke into a gallop for his house.

Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom, "You follow him, I'm going to go get my scooter and catch up."

Apple Bloom nodded and sprinted after Button Mash, "Hey Button! Wait up!"

* * *

Love Tap hummed happily to herself as she held a feather duster in her mouth and waggled her head up and down as the feathers lightly brushed against a painting frame hung on the kitchen wall. The frame surrounded a painting of horse shoes drawn in a number of soft colors.

Afternoons had become something of an in exercise in keeping herself busy with the house being completely empty. Keeping the house clean only occupied so much of her time. Playing her sons' video games also made for a welcome distraction as well as daily shopping trips for dinner ingredients that had become something of a norm. The trips often provided an excellent opportunity to kill time by making small talk with ponies.

A new welcome development was her occasionally trips to pop in on Rarity and see if the young mare wasn't too busy at the shop or working on her latest fashion line to chat or have some lunch. The act had also netted her a few more acquaintances as the two would occasionally bump into and invite one of Rarity's friends along.

Today had been pretty quiet, however. Love Tap continued humming as she trotted over to another framed painting. This one of a pristine looking valley bathed orange in the warm glow of a raising sun. There were many such paintings around the house. They helped keep the mare calm and relaxed. Though, it didn't seem likely she'd need an extra helping of either. Button often spent a fair amount of time after school playing outside, whether it was his portable video games or playing with Sweetie Belle and her friends.

Love Tap smiled at the thought of the young filly that had befriended her son. Although, it was now a new development that her son would be dragged into some activity that left him in dire need of a bath when he came home, a little dirt (well… a lot…) was a small price to pay for the joy the unicorn brought to her young colt's life.

Love Tap paused her cleaning and thought for a second. '_Hmmm… I guess I could always tell Button to invite her over for dinner again…' _She chuckled to herself. '_Assuming he simply doesn't show up with her in tow and ask himself…"_

**_'SLAM!'_**

Love Tap was startled out of her thoughts at the sound of the front door swinging open forcefully. It was unusually early in the day for Button to be home.

"_Ma_…**_MOOOOM!_**" Button cried out.

Love Tap trotted into the hallway. "Button! What have I said about opening the door?" she asked in a chastising tone.

Button's chest puffed in and out as he desperately attempted to catch his breath.

"Button?" Love Tap said with a touch of concern, "What's wrong? Did you run all the way home?"

"MOM!" Button Mash cried before he broke into a string of frantic babbling, "SWEETIE BELLE… BULLIES… YELL… SAVE ME… SCHOOL… TROUBLE…!"

Love Tap shot her son a confused look as her ears flopped around her head, "Wha… Button! Slow down! What's this about Sweetie Belle?"

"… FIGHT… MS. CHEERILEE… STOP… ARGUE… CATCH HER…!"

"Button! I can't understand what you're saying!"

Apple Bloom ran into the house and placed a forehoof against her chest as she desperately attempted to catch her breath.

"Apple Bloom?" Love Tap said as she turned to the yellow filly, "What's going on? What happened?"

"_Huff…puff… _Sweetie Belle…" Apple Bloom began, "_huff_… she… _puff_ … she…"

Love Tap's confused and worried expression began to shift towards panic at the second mention of the young fillies name, "What happened?! What's wrong with Sweetie Belle?!"

"…IMPRISONED…" Button shouted, "… INJUSTICE… MUST… RECTIFY!"

"Imprisoned?!" Love Tap cried. "What in the wide world of Equestria did you girls do this time!?"

"We… _huff_… we didn't…_puff_…"

The group paused as the sound of a quiet buzzing increased until Scootaloo appeared riding her blue scooter and wearing her purple helmet.

"Geez, you two…" Scootaloo uttered as she stepped off her scooter and glanced at her friends, "… you two can't take a little run?"

"…BUT… BUT… SWEETIE BELLE… CAPTIVE… MUST SAVE… !" Button cried.

Scootaloo took off her helmet and sighed as she shook her head, "Apple Bloom, why don't you take Button into the kitchen, see if there's a juice box in the fridge or somethin'…"

Apple Bloom nodded and hooked an arm around the young colt's forearm, "C'mon, Button… let's getcha calmed down…"

"BUT… BUT… **_JUSTICE!_**" Button wailed as Apple Bloom dragged him down the hall.

Love Tap followed the two foals with her eyes briefly then turned to Scootaloo, "So what happened to Sweetie Belle?"

"She got in trouble," Scootaloo explained.

"I gathered that, what do you mean got in trouble? Is she okay?" Love Tap asked in a worried tone.

Scootaloo nodded, "She's fine, she's just serving a little detention is all."

Love Tap let out a sigh of relief and looked back up at Scootaloo, "What's she serving time for? Were you three out crusading again?" Love Tap asked in a slightly accusatory tone.

Scootaloo shook her head, "We hadn't got that far yet, you see, we heard a couple of fillies bullying Button Mash…"

"…_What?_" Love Tap growled through clenched teeth as her previously pensive expression shattered into an angry scowl.

"Uh… There's these two fillies at school, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon," Scootaloo explain, "they pretty much spend most their free time picking on other foals."

"I _ssseeee_…" Love Tap hissed out.

"So, anyways, we hear them picking on Button and then Sweetie Belle just _loses_ it and flies into some sort of berserk rage as she charges the two…"

Love Tap nodded, "As you do."

"Right…" Scootaloo looked up at the tan mare quizzically, "…wait, what? Uh… never mind… anyhow… before Sweetie Belle could blast the two of them into little piles of ash, Ms. Cheerilee catches her and stops her."

Love Tap sighed and shook her head, "_Teachers, _am I right?"

Scootaloo grinned wide and nodded, "Tell me about it… anyhow. Ms. Cheerilee stops the fight, puts Sweetie Belle in detention and gives Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon a lecture on not picking on ponies that are different from them."

Love Tap rolled her eyes. "Right, I'm _sure _they'll change their ways and start spreading _magical_ cheer wherever they go now that Ms. Soft-hoofed Cheerilee has spoken to them," she said sarcastically.

Scootaloo giggled, "That's what I said!"

Apple Bloom and Button Mash trotted out of the kitchen with a slight limp as the two held up juice boxes in one of their free hooves.

"Can we rescue Sweetie Belle, mom?" Button asked, his voice began to become more and more hopeful, "Can we? _Can we?!_"

Love Tap smiled sweetly at her son, "Of course, dear."

"Yay!" Button cried as he raised his forehooves and waved them about excitedly.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked surprised as they stared at the tan mare.

"Whoa, seriously?" Scootaloo said.

"Huh… Ah was not expecting that response…" Apple Bloom admitted.

Love Tap smirked, "If Ms. Cheerilee thinks I going to let a couple bullies who picked on _my_ Button Mash run free while the pony who came to his rescue sits alone in a classroom, she's got another thing coming…"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exchanged smiles and turned to Button Mash.

"Wow Button," Scootaloo exclaimed, "you have, like, the coolest mom ever!"

Button Mash chuckled.

Love Tap's smile shifted into to a thoughtful expression, "First we need a plan…"

"I suggested we blow open a hole in the side of the school with fireworks," Scootaloo informed.

"Love it," Love Tap replied.

"…What, seriously?" Scootaloo asked. "I mean… it sounds sorta… uh… help me out, Apple Bloom… what was that thing you said earlier?"

"…Criminally irresponsible?" Apple Bloom reminded.

Scootaloo nodded and pointed to Apple Bloom, "Yeah! That!"

Love Tap stared off into the distance with a determined look on her face and clopped her two forehooves together, "If the rules are going to side with criminals and see good ponies imprisoned, then we need to take_justice_ into our own hooves."

"Ah think Ah see where Button got his sense of right and wrong from," Apple Bloom commented.

"Well, we better go out and get some fireworks," Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom looked at her, "You actually want to go through with this?"

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, "You don't?"

"Ah jus' think it's mighty unsafe and that we'll probably get in trouble," Apple Bloom said.

"How many times do you think we'll have an adult encourage us to blow open a hole in the side of the school!?" Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom's eyes widened, "…Alright, we best get going, then. Those fireworks aren't going to get themselves…"

"Scootaloo," Love Tap said, "do you think you could pull all of us with your scooter if we tied a cart or carriage to it and the rest of us plus Sweetie Belle were in it?"

Scootaloo nodded, "Piece of cake!"

Love Tap turned to her son, "Alright Button, I'll need to get something big enough for all of us to ride in, but not _too_ big that Scootaloo can't pull it behind her."

Button nodded, "Alright, mom… what are you going to do?"

Love Tap smiled mischievously. "Oh… just take care of a couple of loose ends…"she answered cryptically.

"she answered cryptically.


	9. Chapter 9

The SweetieMash Chronicles

Chapter 9: The Escape

* * *

"I just can't believe Sweetie Belle would do such a thing!"

Sweetie Belle cringed as she heard her sister's voice from outside the school. She had been left at her desk to sit and think about her actions in the schoolhouse while Cheerilee went to get Rarity, presumably so her big sister could give her a lecture on her behavior.

Despite already getting a lecture from Cheerilee, Sweetie Belle still wasn't very regretful about the whole incident. _Alright, so blasting them with magic probably would have been a bit much… But they _**_were_**_ picking on Button… _Sweetie Belle paused and pursed her lips. _It's not like he knows how to defend himself in those situations. _Sweetie Belle pondered on this for a second, she giggled lightly to herself for a second and shook her head. _I can't believe the same colt who would jump off a roof or cliff with a small promise that whatever on his back will keep him safe bursts into tears if he's being made fun of… Gosh, he's so cute…_

Sweetie Belle suddenly frowned as she felt her cheeks warm up, Uh-oh… I think I'm in deep…

Her thoughts occupied with her own feelings on Button Mash, she forgot about the conversation the two mares were having about her outside.

* * *

"To think my own sister would lose her head over something, and resort to violence…" Rarity said. "Why_, I know_ our parents taught her better than this."

"I was just as surprised as you were when I saw it," Cheerilee explained, "but it was quite clear she was about to get violent with those two."

Rarity paused. "Two?"

"Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon," Cheerilee explained.

The surprised expressions on Rarity's face abandoned ship as her countenance crashed at full speed into the shallow sandbar of understanding. "Oh, now _that_ I believe."

"Well, who it was doesn't really matter does it?" Cheerilee said.

Rarity cocked an eyebrow at the magenta mare, "I understand that violence against one's peers should never be the answer, but those two bully my sister and her friends _relentlessly_. I would have expected Scootaloo to come to blows with those two first, but it's hardly surprising one of them was pushed over the edge."

Cheerilee pursed her lips and knitted her eyebrows slightly. Slightly flustered by Rarity's words, she decided to press on. "_Be that as it may_… your sister looked like she was about ready to blast those two with magic. Now wouldn't you agree that seems just a _little_ extreme?"

Rarity sighed. "Don't tell me you're punishing her more severely because she was going to use magic instead of pummeling the two girls silly with her hooves."

Cheerilee looked at Rarity with equal parts shock and offense. "Excuse me?! I would _never_ treat any of my students differently just because they were a unicorn," Cheerilee insisted.

Rarity smirked. "I didn't say 'unicorn', now did I? I said 'magic'."

"What?!" Cheerilee cried in a protesting tone. "But you… that's being pedantic and _you_ know it!"

"_Still _hung up on Proud Heart?" Rarity asked. "I can't help if he had a thing for unicorns, you know..."

Cheerilee shot Rarity an angry glare. "_No_…" she said through gritted teeth. "…I am _not _hung up on a high school crush or letting such a trivial thing affect my judgments…"

"I'm just saying, dearie," Rarity began, "he and I go out on a few dates and then you don't even speak to me again unless you have too…"

Cheerilee narrowed her eyes. "It was much more than 'a few' dates."

Rarity tittered lightly. "_Hehehe_… So you _are _still hung up on Proud Heart."

Cheerilee's jaw hung open slightly as her eye twitched ever so slightly. "No! I _didn't_…_ grrrRRRRRAH!_"

Cheerilee made frustrated roar and then looked back at Rarity with an irritated expression. Rarity always did_know_ how to get under her skin with they were growing up together. _She just had to bring up Proud Heart, didn't she?! She knew I had a huge crush on him, but did that stop her?! This is why I was hoping to get one of Sweetie Belle's parents! _Cheerilee's expression shifted back to thoughtful contemplation._ Wait… Is Rarity trying to distract me like she used to do back in school? Is she trying to get me to let Sweetie…_

"I'm sorry, dearie…"

The apology smashed into Cheerilee's thoughts like a wrecking ball. She refocused her attention on Rarity.

"Oh, I knew how you felt about Proud Heart, and you did everything right!" Rarity insisted. She gave a small chuckle. "_Hehe_… I daresay it was always fun trying to keep up with the latest fashion with you, but I wasn't trying to steal him from you, you know…"

Cheerilee sighed and shook her head. "Oh, it's alright… I mean… he _did_ have a thing for unicorns, and I can't blame you to saying 'yes' to a few dates and dances because he was attracted to you. Of course you'd be interested… what pony wouldn't?"

Rarity grinned briefly before a serious expression remerged on her face. "Still, I could have been more mindful of your feelings, darling. I mean, I knew full well how you felt about him..."

"I appreciate hearing that Rarity, but…" Cheerilee sighed again, this time with more forcefulness. "…No, you know what? It wasn't your fault..." Cheerilee took a few steps away from Rarity and stared off into the bright, cheery landscape of Ponyville. The pleasant day did little to improve her currently dour mood as she dealt with her feelings of the recently dredged up past. "_Oooh_… I just wish I didn't waste so much _time _and effort trying to woo him…"

Rarity chuckled once more. "You did have the frizziest hair by far," Rarity mused. "You probably could have had any stallion you wanted…"

"UHG! I KNOW!" Cheerilee exclaimed. "But _nooo_…" she said in a tone almost as if she was berated her past self, "it just _had_ to be Proud Heart… _hours_ spent getting my mane and tail to be the frizziest at school just to catch his attention…" she said as she inserted her forehooves into her mane and lifted the pink hair slightly.

Rarity grinned to herself as Cheerilee launched into a tirade over her past fashion and high school crush choices._Some things never change…_

* * *

"What's the sitch, mom?" Button asked as he looked up at his mother. The colt was still wearing his signature propeller beanie, however he had donned black tights that hugged his body up to his neck.

Love Tap was dressed similarly, her tights also extending up to her neck. She passed a pair of binoculars to her son as she tilted her ear in the direction of school.

"I think Rarity is keeping her distracted," Love Tap informed as her ear twitched slightly.

"Are they talking about Sweetie Belle?" Button asked as he raised the binoculars to his face and peered through them.

Love Tap knitted her brow slightly. "I _think_ they're talking about high school…"

Scootaloo trotted over to the black-tight-wearing mother-and-son duo. "Sweetie Belle did mention that Rarity used to go to school with Cheerilee."

"Ah wonder why they'd up and start talking about that," Apple Bloom wondered out loud.

Love Tap shook her head. "Maybe, Rarity is trying her own tactic to get Sweetie Belle out of trouble…" She shrugged. "…or maybe there's just a few things the two need to talk about and this is the first chance Rarity's had to talk to Cheerilee… Anyhow…" Love Tap glanced at the cart full of large, dangerous looking fireworks before she looked out at the foals and smiled. "Everything ready?"

The foals saluted. "Ready!" they answered.

Love Tap nodded. "Good, then let's not let this opportunity go to waste..."

Button Mash and Apple Bloom enthusiastically retreated back to the cart of fireworks, while Scootaloo lagged behind.

"Something I can help you with, Scootaloo?" Love Tap asked with a smile.

"Uh… I guess I just wanted to know why you're so willing to blow a hole in the school… being an adult and all…" Scootaloo said sheepishly. She suddenly smiled. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you…"

Love Tap chuckled. "Well, let's just say I understand Sweetie Belle's situation quite well." Love Tap paused as she turned back towards the school. "And I figured out long ago that if you're going to get in trouble for something, it might as well be something you deserve to be in trouble for."

Scootaloo chuckled. "_Hehehe_...So go big or go home, huh?"

Love Tap gave the young filly a closed eyed smile. "Something like that. Now go run along and help the other two with the fireworks," Love Tap said as she shooed the young filly along with her forehooves.

Scootaloo nodded. "Right!"

* * *

_So what do I say to him? _Sweetie Belle thought to herself as she stared out into open space. _That I 'like,like, like, you'?_Sweetie Belle frowned. _That sounds stupid… Love? Erm… maybe that's a bit forward… I mean… I'm pretty sure we're too young to get married..._

"**_ULGH!_**"

Sweetie Belle broke herself from her stupor as she noticed the talking outside becoming increasingly heated.

Her lower lip began to quiver as her ears flopped down around her head. _Wow, Ms. Cheerilee actually sounds angry. She wasn't like that when she was talking to me. Maybe I'm in more trouble than I thought…_

Sweetie Belle perked an ear up and leaned over in her desk towards the voices. The large schoolhouse windows didn't tend to block sound very well, but Cheerilee's animated talking was somewhat difficult to follow. Rarity didn't seem to be saying much of anything, only punctuating Cheerilee's speech every now and again as the magenta mare continued her frustrated sounding diatribe.

Sweetie Belle gulped as her face began to feel hot and beads of sweat formed on her face. _Ms. Cheerilee couldn't be _**_that_**_ mad at me… could she…? I mean… she already lectured me about what I was doing…_

Sweetie Belle looked off into space as she considered the possibility that both Cheerilee and Rarity might be incredibly angry at her and that the school door could open at a moments noticed and she'd have _two _adult mares screaming at her.

_Rarity will probably tell our parents and I'll be grounded for forever…_

_No going to the clubhouse, no crusading..._ Sweetie Belle sighed. _No going over to Button's house…_

Sweetie Belle paused, noticing that Cheerilee has suddenly become a bit quieter and almost jovial sounding._Huh…? Is she not mad anymore?_ Sweetie Belle's face lit up. _Maybe Rarity talked to her so she wouldn't be so mad! Yep, I bet my big sister is looking out for me… _Sweetie Belle briefly frowned before her face shot back up into panic mode. _Either that or they're talking about how I'm going to be punished and laughing about it…_

'_Tap. Tap. Tap._'

'_Tap… Tap… Tap…_'

She paused as she heard a tapping sound on the wall. Rhythmic, as if something was tapping out a pattern. She glanced towards the school entrance and hoped the two mares weren't going to finish anywhere soon. She hopped down from her chair and made her way towards the tapping noise. She placed her ear up against the wall. _It sounds like… a hoof against wood._ She listened some more.

'_Tap. Tap. Tap._'

'_Tap… Tap… Tap…_'

Sweetie Belle knitted her brow._ Horse code? _"Uh… excuse me?" Sweetie Belle said. "I don't know Horse Code… like… at all…"

"Oh…" A young foal's voice replied.

Sweetie Belle's face lit up. "Button?" she asked.

"Yeah! It's me… uh… look… you should probably stand back and find cover," Button said.

"Find cover?" Sweetie Belle replied as she knitted her brow.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS JAIL BREAKERS, YAY!"

'Ssssssss…'

Worry quickly overtook Sweetie Belle's features. Between her friends cry and the familiar hissing of a fuse, it didn't take her long to figure out what was going on. The young filly ran for her desk, and in a light green glow, set the piece of furniture on its side as she wrapped her forearms around her head and hid behind the metal and wood item.

* * *

"**_ULGH!_**" Cheerilee cried in an annoyed tone. She blew a quick gust of air up towards her bangs as she stared off into open space.

Rarity just grinned. She was quite used to all the little noises Cheerilee would utter when frustrated or if she was having an animated discussion.

"It's just…_tell me_ the braces had play…" Cheerilee said as she turned back towards Rarity.

Rarity tittered once more. "_Hehe_… The braces _totally_ had play, darling."

Cheerilee sighed. "I KNOW! Most ponies would think they were lame, but I _totally_ rocked those braces…" She frowned. "I was almost sorry to let them go."

Rarity placed a sympathetic hoof on Cheerilee's shoulder. "We all were, dear. We had some times… _Hehehe_…Remember when the glare from your earrings and hair clips kept on blinding the Pegasus students, causing them to crash?"

Cheerilee grinned. "I remember, you actually stormed into the schoolhouse on my behalf and _demanded_ I be allowed to keep wearing them because my outfit wasn't complete without them."

Rarity sighed wistfully. "Those were the days…" Rarity smiled wide at Cheerilee, "Maybe we should get together and talk old times over a drink sometime." Rarity flashed Cheerilee a hopeful look. "My treat?"

Cheerilee grinned. "I'd like that."

Still smiling, she looked back at Cheerilee. "So, uh… about Sweetie Belle…"

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing…" Cheerilee said with a smirk.

Rarity flinched. "Uh… whatever do you mean, darling…"

Cheerilee gave Rarity a knowing chuckle. "Oh come on Rarity. The distraction? The offer of a drink? You used that routine enough on me at school that I eventually pieced together what your little game was."

Rarity giggled nervously. "_Heheeeh_… Was I _that_ obvious?"

"Well, _no_," Cheerilee said. "And I _did_ enjoy talking to you. I just have had enough time to pick up on your tricks is all."

"Tricks, right…" Rarity said as her face went serious. "Sorry Cheerilee, I should have known better than to try and pull a fast one on you… but… I _do_ want you to know I meant everything I said…" Rarity said earnestly.

Cheerilee paused as she looked at Rarity and sighed. "Look… I know Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon pick on everypony pretty relentlessly… and I can see how somepony might lose their temper if they saw their friend being picked on. If you can get Sweetie Belle to promise she'll never do it again, I guess I can keep it between us."

"Oh my, why that's _ever_ so kind of you!" Rarity exclaimed happily.

Cheerilee smiled. "You still owe me that drink though."

"_Hehe_… Of course, darling…"

"Anyhow, I doubt Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon will pick on Button Mash ever again…"

Rarity's happy expression shattered like a brick thrown through a plate glass window. "Ba…Button Mash…" she stammered out. "You put Sweetie Belle in detention because she was defending, poor, sweet, harmless Button Mash?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" Rarity shrieked.

Cheerilee's expression turned surprised at Rarity's outburst. She frowned. "Well, I can't make distinctions based on the bullying victims here."

Rarity shook her head. "You don't get it, do you? His mom, she's a mother…" Rarity said as her voiced dropped to a whisper.

Cheerilee cocked an eyebrow at Rarity. "Well… I think that's pretty obvious."

"No, I mean… her cutie mark… she isn't a mother, she's _the _mother. And if she thinks her son has been wronged somehow, it's not likely she's just going to sit back and do nothing here. She's probably working on breaking Sweetie Belle out of the school as we speak!"

"Uh…" Cheerilee began, "…that seems… rather extreme…"

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS JAIL BREAKERS, YAY!"

Rarity cringed as she heard the cry from the side of the school, knowing calamity was sure to follow. "Get down," she ordered.

Cheerilee's eyes drifted towards the sound of her students yelling, then back to Rarity, "Down? You don't think-WHOA!" Cheerilee cried out in alarm as Rarity dove on top of her and covered the magenta mare's head with her arms.

'_**FeeeeEEEEEESSSSSSBOOOOOOOOOOOM**_!'

Soon, a high-pitched squeal followed by a school shattering boom tore through the quiet air. A dazzling, colorful display briefly lit up the daytime sky followed by the sound of falling wood and shattering glass as the ground and school itself shook violently.

"She… they… they wouldn't…" Cheerilee murmured with wide, unbelieving eyes as she and Rarity raised too their hooves.

Cheerilee swallowed and opened the schoolhouse door. Overturned desks, scattered, flaming papers, and a large, burnt hole in the side of the wall greeted her as she witnessed Sweetie Belle gallop off towards a cart and quickly jump inside. A cloud of dust kicked up in front of the cart and Cheerilee swore she picked out a familiar buzzing sound and the sight of a small, green propeller as the cart sped away. Cheerilee simply looked on dumbstruck as she trotted forward to examine the large hole in her classroom. She heard the sounds of someone tentatively trotting up behind her.

"Soo…" Rarity said nervously, "…about that drink…"

"_UHGGGG!_" Cheerilee shouted before angrily looking out the hole again and sending a long, angry gust of breath up at her bangs. "_Huuufff…_ Yes… I think… I think that's the best idea the moment before I go have some poor colt's parent arrested for property destruction."

"It _would _break poor Button's heart," Rarity chimed in, "and you _know_ how sensitive he is…"

"She IS going fix this, however!" Cheerilee declared as she motioned to the hole in the schoolhouse. "They ALL will!"

Rarity shrugged. "Well, that _is_ a fairly standard Ponyville method of dealing with destroyed things…"

Cheerilee sighed as she walked out of the hole towards a nearby path.

Rarity followed and trotted up next to the mare.

"Rarity… am I… am I too soft hoofed?" Cheerilee asked.

"Well… erm…"

"Be honest, please," Cheerilee said simply.

"Sometimes…" Rarity admitted, "…but I daresay about half your students would spend everyday in detention with you if you weren't."

Cheerilee smiled to herself. "You make an excellent point…"

Rarity chuckled. "Unicorn, dearie…" she said as she bobbed her head up, drawing attention to her horn.

Cheerilee shot Rarity a glare. "Don't push it."

* * *

"I can't believe you guys came to rescue me!" Sweetie Belle cried happily as she wrapped her arms around Button Mash and began enthusiastically nuzzling the young colt.

Button grinned and returned the affection, he rubbed his cheek against Sweetie Belle as he enjoyed the feeling of her arms around his neck. "Well I couldn't just leave you after you came to my rescue," Button explained.

Apple Bloom averted her eyes and pretended to find something interesting out in the distance. Love Tap just grinned down at the young foals.

"Still, a broad daylight rescue with high explosives?!" Sweetie Belle squeaked out.

"Which was MY idea," Scootaloo cried as she speed along with the cart tied to her scooter.

"Well, mom threw the plan together," Button said.

Sweetie Belle looked up at Love Tap. "Thank you!" she said with a bright smile.

Love Tap smiled down at the young filly. "Oh, it's alright… just righting an injustice…"

"Speakin' of that," Apple Bloom chimed in, "what did you do to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?"

Sweetie Belle's expression turned pensive. _Wait… if she was willing to blow open a hole in the school just because I was defending Button… I mean… she wouldn't…_

Love Tap chuckled. "Oh, I just thought they could use a good friend for about a week…"

* * *

_'Knock knockknockknock knock… knock knock.'_

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked up from their teen fashion magazines and shot eachother a confused glance. It wasn't often anyone simply came up to Diamond Tiara's unannounced… and those that usually did certainly didn't tap out 'Shave and a Haircut, two bits'.

_'Tick, tock, tick tock…'_

A large, grandfather clock that sat in the corner of the room ticked on as the two fillies contemplated what to do.

"Randolph!" Diamond Tiara called out from her comfortable looking cushion on the floor.

The two fillies perked their ears up, listening for the sound of Diamond Tiara's approaching butler.

_'Tick, tock, tick tock…'_

"RANDOLPH! DOOR!" Diamond Tiara cried with far more force and irritation.

Silver Spoon sighed and set down her magazine. "I'll get it…" She stood to her hooves and trotted towards one of the large, elaborately carved double doors that served as the entrance to the large mansion. She reached for the doorknob and opened the door.

A bright pink mare with a curly, pink mane and beaming smile stood on the other end of the door.

Before either Silver Spoon or Diamond Tiara could say anything, the mare broke into song.

"_Oh, somepony told me there was a pair of sad fillies in desperate need of a friend!_"

_"And I couldn't bear the thought of two frowny ponies despairing without end!"_

_"So I said to myself, 'Hey, Pinkie Pie what are you to do?"_

_"And then I said, 'Let's gather up some fun supplies!' and brought them here to you!"_

_"So please, oh please turn those frowns upside down because Pinkie's here to stay!"_

_"Let's gather round and sing a song then go outside and _**_plaaay!_**_"_

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon simply stared out at Pinkie as she smiled back at them.

Pinkie paused and put a hoof up to her chin, "Wait… I guess I just sung a song…"

'SLAM!'

Silver Spoon quickly slammed the door and turned back towards Diamond Tiara with a worried, confused expression. "What is she doing here?"

Diamond Tiara just shrugged. "How would I know?"

"It's _your_ house!"

"So?! That doesn't mean I'm privy to all the strange ideas my dad comes up with."

"_Hehehe…_ 'Privy' is a fun word to say!" a bubbling voice rang out.

"_AHHH!_" the two fillies cried out in alarm as they turned towards Pinkie, the pink mare somehow miraculously having gained entry into the home.

"You know what else is fun to say?" Pinkie asked as she tilted her head slightly and smiled at the two fillies.

"Uh… No… what…?" Diamond Tiara asked in a nervous tone.

"Discombobulate… _hehe!_ So much fun… Here! Say it with me!"

The two fillies exchanged confused glances and looked back at Pinkie with blank expressions.

"Come on! SAY IT!" Pinkie commanded.

"Uh…discombob…" Diamond Tiara began.

Silver Spoon cleared her throat. "Discombobulate."

"Discombobulate!" Pinkie cried cheerfully as she threw her forehooves into the air.

The group went silent again as the large clock continued to 'tick' and 'tock', counting down the uncomfortable seconds.

"So uh…Pinkie," Diamond Tiara began, "Why are you here… in _my_ house?" She said in a somewhat demanding tone.

"Oh! I thought I explained it all in my song! Here, let me start again…_ Oh, somepony told me there was a pair of sad fillies…_"

"Uh, **_no_**…" Diamond Tiara said forcefully, "that's alright… just… who told you we needed a friend? Did my dad put you up to this?" Diamond Tiara asked as she raised an eyebrow.

Pinkie shook her head. "Somepony, who I promised to keep their personage a penitentiary held private particular, paid Pinkie Pie to be your private pal for a period of peven days!"

"Uh… 'peven' isn't a word…" Silver Spoon said.

"Yeah, but I was kinda on a poll, there…" Pinkie explained. "Whoops! _Hehehe_… I meant 'roll'."

"Sa… seven days?!" Diamond Tiara exclaimed. "That long?!"

"Long?!" Pinkie exclaimed in surprise. "More like short! That's _barely_ enough time to through my entire list of fun words to say while still leaving time for my collection of irritating noises..." Pinkie paused and leaned over towards the fillies. "With '_Bee-do!_ _Bee-do! Bee-do! Bee-do!' _being a new, personal favorite… so get excited about that, because you're going to be hearing it a lot…" She said with a smile. "I mean like… you're going to close your eyes when it's quiet and think I'm saying '_Bee-do!_ _Bee-do! Bee-do!' _butit'll just be your silly little filly noggins playing tricks on you!"

Diamond Tiara slowly stood up and began making her way for the door as she flashed a look at Silver Spoon.

Silver Spoon slowly began to turn the knob to the front door.

Pinkie continued, "…And every night I'll read you a story from the Big Book of Shaggy Dog stories… which has a surprising lack of shaggy dogs!"

"RUN!" Diamond Tiara cried.

Silver Spoon opened the door and the two fillies made a mad gallop out into the mansion's yard.

"Wait!" Pinkie cried as she began to bounce after the two. "The next word is 'perpendicular'! How can you not be excited about that?!"

"RUN FASTER, D.T.! SHE'S GAINING ON US!"

"OH CELESTIA! HOW CAN ANYPONY BOUNCE SO FAST?!"

* * *

"So, what's the plan now, mom?" Button asked.

"Well, I figure we'll just go home and wait until this whole thing blows over…" Love Tap replied.

"Ya really think if we wait long enough we'll get away with blowing a hole in the school?" Apple Bloom asked.

Love Tap frowned and her eyes went wide as her pupils shrank to pinpricks, almost as if it had just now dawned on her what had just transpired. "Uh…no… no I do not…" she answered.

Scootaloo sighed, "Oh well… at least we'll all have plenty of company in detention together…"

"Gee, I hope it's not cold out the next several days…" Button Mash muttered.

The group paused, before breaking into a fit of giggles and laughter.

"_Hehehe…_" Sweetie Belle stopped laughing as she realized Button was looking right at her. She attempted to get her thoughts together… _Oh geez, what do I say to him? He just put himself in major trouble to get me out… Should I just try to tell him how I feel? But… everyone's right here! His mom's even here…_

"Uh… hey…" Button Mash said.

"Ya… yeah?" Sweetie Belle replied as the young colt interrupted her thoughts.

"If I'm going to be in trouble… I'm glad it was because of you, Sweetie Belle," Button Mash said with a smile before he planted a quick peck on the white unicorn's cheek.

Sweetie Belle paused and stared out into space briefly as the blacks of her pupil's swallowed her emerald iris._ has encountered a fatal error, rebooting in 3…2…1…_

Sweetie Belle collapsed to the cart floor.

"Sweetie Belle?!" Button exclaimed. "What… what happened?!"

Scootaloo glanced back into the cart. "_Aaaand_, Button just broke Sweetie Belle. Way to go, champ," she said with a smirk.

"No, but I…" Button Mash began to protest.

"Ya'd think she'd be better prepared for something like that." Apple Bloom said. "Ah mean, she's done tha same to him."

"I know, right?" Scootaloo replied.

"But I didn't mean…!"

"Button Mash!" Love Tap exclaimed in a stern, maternal tone as she concealed a grin with a forehoof. "What did you do to poor Sweetie Belle?!"

"But I was just… I didn't mean to…" Button's eyes began to tear up as he glanced down at the white unicorn at his hooves. An oddly serene smile plastered on her face.

_"Hhehh… hehh…" _Button's lower lip began to quibble as he uttered small, pained sobs.

"Here come to waterworks…" Scootaloo said as she rolled her eyes.

"Whouaa… WhouaaaWHOUAAAAHAAAAHAAAAA!"

Love Tap chuckled. "_Hehehe_…Button! Stop! There's no need to cry."

"Uh… girls?" Apple Bloom said as she noticed a green glow from the car floor. "Ah don't think that was a good idea…"

"WHOUAAAAA…" Button suddenly ceased his wailing as Sweetie Belle rose to her feet with a rageful, distant expression on her face, her horn glowed a bright green. "Sweetie Belle?"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Sweetie Belle shrieked as the green light from her horn intensified accompanied by a high pitched whistle.

"Wait, Sweetie Belle, dearie," Love Tap pleaded. "We were just…"

**_"_**_Pheeeeeeee_**_PHHOOOOOOOOOM!"_**

A green light enveloped the cart and all its occupants, accompanied by a large explosion.

Scootaloo felt herself go airborne as she desperately tried to right herself in the scooter. She hit the ground hard and tumbled along the soft grass for a bit as pieces of wood flew past her and bounced along the ground. She eventually rolled to a stop, shortly before her scooter came to halt as its back wheel impacted one of her wings.

"OW!" Scootaloo cried as she pushed her scooter off her wing. "Why is it always the wings…" She mumbled out. She stood to her hooves and tensed her back painfully. Scootaloo grabbed her scooter and propelled it with a back hoof towards a small smoking crater. She stopped as she noticed four recently dug trenches heading away from the hole in the direction she herself had been heading.

"_Whoa_… are you guys alright?" Scootaloo asked as she approached the group of ponies lying in the dirt.

Apple Bloom stuck her head out of the trench that was mostly dug with her face and spit out a mound of dirt, "PHHBLEH! Remind me to never pick on Button Mash again."

A white horn along with a dirt encrusted pink and lavender mane attached to a worried looking face poked out from one of the trenches. "Oh no, Button Mash!"

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "I'm fine thanks. How are you, destroyer of worlds?"

Sweetie Belle ignored Scootaloo and bee-lined for one of the trenches. "Button! Don't be dead! DON'T BE DEAD! I'D NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF IF…" She stopped short as she reached the end of the trench and peered in.

"Am I… am I in heaven?" Button woozily asked as he looked up at Sweetie Belle with a slightly glazed over look.

Sweetie Belle grinned pensively as her face went from white to red in an instant.

"Uh, Sweetie Belle," Apple Bloom began, "Ah know you're mighty protective of Button Mash. But could ya maybe stop and _think_ about who you're blasting before you fly off the handle next time?"

Sweetie Belle's eyes went wide as heavy frown crushed her nervous, happy expression. "Whoops… Sorry everypony…"

"_Cough_… Oh, it's okay Sweetie Belle," Love Tap said as she rose out of her own trench and dusted her outfit off. "I _completely_ understand."

Sweetie Belle beamed at Love Tap as Button Mash climbed to his hooves and smiled happily at his mother.

"Now let's get you to my house and cleaned up before your sister has even _more _reasons to be mad me." Love Tap looked at her son and smiled. "And then maybe French toast for dinner?"

"YAY!" Button Mash cried as he flailed his forehooves about.

The five ponies began a slow, somewhat pained gait towards Button Mash's and Love Tap's house. The worries of the trouble they were likely to be in were momentarily pushed away in favor of the sweet, syrupy meal that awaited them.


End file.
